Every NFL camp promises its share of long-shot stories. But the roster math for the Dallas Cowboys has never felt this brutal. The Texas heat seems especially unforgiving for one WR fighting for his NFL future. With the Cowboys gearing up for a new era under head coach Brian Schottenheimer, the WR room is crowded, and every rep in Oxnard could make the difference between career takeoff and a detour back to reality. In this training camp, underdogs don’t just have to impress; they have to leap over the ghosts of recent deals and management’s need to prove past decisions right.
WR Traeshon Holden’s college stats paint the picture of a late-bloomer with a strong upside. Despite his momentum being bolstered by seasoning with Alabama and Oregon, Holden entered the NFL undrafted. Joining Dallas as an undrafted free agent with a minimal signing bonus and zero guarantees. He is, in every sense, on the edge of the roster bubble. This year’s Cowboys depth chart at wide receiver is dense with talent and intrigue, with George Pickens’ arrival marking a significant boost to Dak Prescott’s offense. But for Holden, the depth chart battle could become a cautionary tale of roster construction.
“Wide receiver is the toughest spot. Traeshon Holden might deserve a spot, but the Cowboys will keep Jonathan Mingo as they attempt to justify their trade last year,” writes SI’s Randy Gurzi, capturing the cold calculation front offices sometimes make when balancing on-field performance against organizational optics. When the Cowboys brought in Mingo and a 7th-round 2025 pick, giving away a 4th-round pick to the Panthers, many in the league believed it was “too expensive a price to pay for a lottery ticket like Mingo.” But as Ian Rappoport noted, Dallas believed a fresh start could be just what Mingo needs. But playing in 8 games and starting in one, Mingo didn’t exactly move mountains last year. This season, the Cowboys would be pushing to achieve results worthy of the 4th-round pick they traded away.
The numbers reveal the squeeze. With CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin, Jonathan Mingo, and Ryan Flournoy penciled in, someone had to go. Despite Holden’s strong camp, the front office remains invested in Mingo, the subject of last year’s high-stakes acquisition. Cutting Mingo would amplify criticism of the trade, while Holden—talented, but undrafted—becomes collateral damage. Roster rewards often hinge as much on past investment as present merit. That’s the reality the Cowboys and Holden will be facing this season.
This isn’t the first time Dallas has wrestled with such dilemmas. Rewind to previous seasons, and you’ll find similar stories. Players like Lance Lenoir and Rico Gathers, camp standouts who skirt on the edges of the final 53. Only to be waived when things got tough. The tension between potential and investment is a thread woven deeply through Jerry Jones’ playbook.
Credits: Instagram @dba.showtime
Coach Brian Schottenheimer’s new regime promised open competition, and for much of OTAs, Holden embodied that spirit. Still, history (and economics) often trump results. Since the Cowboys surrendered assets for Mingo just last offseason, giving up on him now would be more than a football decision; it would be a public confession of error. Such admissions rarely come cheap. But for the Cowboys, the WR room isn’t all about heartbreaks. George Pickens’ addition is set to have a major impact on Dak Prescott’s security blanket.
When roster moves ripple: the Pickens factor and Ferguson’s big opportunity
Roster moves are never isolated acts. While wideout George Pickens embraced the chance to “grow” in Dallas alongside CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott, that’s not all he’s bringing to the table. Pickens has quietly begun to reshape the Cowboys’ offensive ecosystem. His presence is opening new opportunities for Jake Ferguson, whose evolving role could become the offense’s decisive X-factor this season. Ferguson has already earned major points with Pickens through the mandatory training camp as Pickens hyped him up with: “He’s got that Jason Witten (Cowboys’ legendary TE) vibe—sure hands, route-running smarts, and big-play instincts. I haven’t seen a tight end like him.”
As Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon recently wrote, “Ferguson was a Pro Bowler with a healthy and productive Prescott in 2023 and could break out in his fourth season. Pickens’ presence could help the 26-year-old tight end.” With Lamb and Pickens stretching the defenses thin with their explosive routes, Ferguson will have more opportunities to connect with Prescott for dynamic plays. Instead of bracing for heavy impacts, Ferguson will find precious open spaces, the kind of daylight all tight ends crave. Pickens’ arrival forces the defenses to go long on the deep game. With Lamb’s coverages, Ferguson is uniquely positioned to cash in the yards and TDs.
The shockwaves from these moves go beyond the headlines. With Pickens inserted into the lineup, Dallas now boasts a skill position corps that Bleacher Report recently ranked among the NFL’s top 10. As opponents scramble to cover multiple threats, the domino effect will test not just defensive game plans, but also the chemistry between Dak Prescott, his receivers, and Ferguson. As training camp battles unfold and preseason intensity intensifies, the message from the front office is clear: every position, every play, and every roster decision will be a step toward something bigger. The ending to this story? As ever, still unwritten.
The post Cowboys to Cut Ties With WR as George Pickens Changes Jake Ferguson’s Role – Report appeared first on EssentiallySports.
