Every year, there’s usually at least one undrafted rookie who Cowboys fans become particularly interested in. Baylor’s Michael Trigg is that guy in 2026, and some of the projections for his role and potential at the TE position are pretty lofty.
Background
Years in NFL: 0
Acquired by: UDFA (2026)
Trigg fits the profile of the modern TE, long-armed and athletic with receiving skills as his top trait. He was one of the better receiving options in the 2026 class, with one of the more impressive highlight reels of the group,
but character concerns and a deep TE class overall led to him going undrafted. Dallas signed him quickly, adding about $280k in guaranteed money to secure the deal.
The concerns around Trigg stem from multiple disciplinary issues and other signs of immaturity. Before transferring to Baylor in 2024, he was at Ole Miss and served a one-game suspension. He was suspended for another game his first year in Waco. There was also an incident last year where he was arguing with Baylor’s athletic director on the sideline, reportedly over a clothing violation. Outside of these big moments, Trigg was also noted for having poor practice and academic habits at times.
Still, there were signs of growth last year. Trigg had his best college season with 50 catches for 694 yards and six touchdowns. He was a First-Team All-Big 12 selection and one of three finalists for the John Mackey Award, given to the nation’s best tight end that season. An older rookie now at 24, the hope is that Trigg has finally grown up a bit and is ready to puts his potential to work as a professional.
Contract Status
Years Left: 3
2026 Cap Hit: $896k
Again, the $280k in guaranteed money is the real story. To compare, it’s nearly triple the $105k that WR Jordan Hudson, another UDFA that some thought would get drafted, got in his Cowboys contract.
2026 Projections
Role: Backup TE
Roster Chance: 60%
Trigg is clearly coming into training camp with more hype than the average UDFA, but will he sustain it? And if he does, what does that mean for the TE depth chart?
Beyond Jake Ferguson as the starter, nothing is solidified. Brevyn Spann-Ford is the current frontrunner for TE2, seemingly surpassing Luke Schoonmaker by the end of last season. It was a fairly narrow margin, leaving room for continued competition and debate this summer.
Trigg should be rooting for Spann-Ford in that battle. Schoonmaker is on an expiring contract and turns 28 in September. Dallas can clear about $1.6 million in cap space if he’s released, which helps their rollover amount for 2027. As long as Trigg shows he can be a regular-season contributor, which will likely necessitate special teams value, there’s a lot of upside to keeping him over the former second-round pick.
And of course, that’s if Dallas only keeps three tight ends. A fourth guy feels unlikely so long as FB Hunter Luepke is around, but you never know. If Trigg can give you some snaps as a WR, such as a big slot, you might justify a roster spot that way. Or with C.J. Goodwin no longer eating up space on the 53, Dallas could reallocate his spot to any position they want.
For now, Trigg doesn’t need to worry about late August. He needs to be solely focused on the weeks leading up to it, alleviating any doubts about his character and professionalism while also showing potential on the field. He should get plenty of run in the preseason games, and will likely be a hot topic between now and final cuts.
Check out our previous player profiles from this series:
RB Israel Abanikanda | P Bryan Anger | S Justin Barron | G T.J. Bass | C Cooper Beebe | CB DaRon Bland | RB Jaydon Blue | G Tyler Booker | CB Josh Butler | S Alijah Clark | OT Ajani Cornelius | RB Malik Davis | DT Tommy Dunn | CB Cobie Durant | OLB Donovan Ezeiruaku | TE Princeton Fant | TE Jake Ferguson | WR Ryan Flournoy | OLB Rashan Gary | C Matt Hennessy | S Malik Hooker | OLB James Houston | QB Sam Howell | WR Jordan Hudson | LB Shemar James | G Trevor Keegan | CB Derion Kendrick | WR CeeDee Lamb | OLB Isaiah Land | OLB Marist Liufau | S P.J. Locke | FB Hunter Luepke | RB Phil Mafah | QB Joe Milton III | WR Jonathan Mingo | CB Devin Moore | DT Otito Ogbonnia | LB DeMarvion Overshown | TE DJ Rogers | TE Luke Schoonmaker | LS Trent Sieg | WR Anthony Smith | G Tyler Smith | TE Brevyn Spann-Ford | OT Terence Steele | CB Reddy Steward | OT Nate Thomas | S Jalen Thompson | DT Jay Toia | WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling | OLB Tyrus Wheat | RB Javonte Williams | DT Quinnen Williams | OLB Sam Williams | LB Dee Winters | DT D.J. Withers | S Julius Wood
