Getty

New Dallas Cowboys TE Michael Trigg

The  Dallas Cowboys are on the late side when it comes to opening up their organized team activities–lovingly known as OTAs–and won’t get underway until June 1. But there will be plenty to watch when they do. First up will be whether George Pickens shows up. And there will be how the defense is arranged–who starts on the edge, who are the cornerbacks, who’s likely the wearer of the green dot? And there is the left tackle question, whether that position is still firmly in Tyler Guyton’s grasp of the Cowboys are coming out with a new arrangement on the front.

It’s down on the list, but this is worth watching, too: The tight ends. The Cowboys have a star front man in the TE room, with Jake Ferguson, and have a solid role player they like, too, Brevyn Spann-Ford. Beyond that are some intriguing questions that might start giving us answers, starting with whether Luke Schoonmaker can finally live up to his billing as a second-round pick, and whether the league really missed on the talent level of Michael Trigg.

Michael Trigg a ‘Sleeper’ UDFA

Trigg is one of the most interesting undrafted free agents anywhere in the league, a big-time playmaker at Baylor who some had slotted in the fourth- or fifth-round range in last year’s draft. But past disciplinary issues, especially from his time at Ole Miss, caused teams to pass him over. The Cowboys scooped him up on a generous guarantee.

For Sports Illustrated’s Justin Melo, that makes Spann someone very much worth watching when the Cowboys’ OTAs open. In a post titled, “10 Sleeper UDFAs Who Actually Matter at OTAs (And Why They Could Turn Heads)” Melo highlighted Trigg.

He wrote: “Former Baylor tight end Michael Trigg is an athletic pass catcher with shocking arm length and above-average speed. Trigg runs routes like a big wide receiver with initial quickness that threatens open-field space. He is a mismatch nightmare for both linebackers and defensive backs in coverage. Alleged character concerns contributed to him going undrafted, but the Dallas Cowboys made him an aggressive offer that totaled $280,000 in guarantees.”

Cowboys Could Have a Steal

There’s no doubting Trigg’s talent. He was a third-team All-American last year, and a first team All-Big 12, with 50 catches and 694 yards, plus six touchdowns. He was a finalist, too, for the John Mackey Award for the best tight end in the nation. If the reputation for giving coaches trouble–he was invited to leave Mississippi in 2023–is truly behind him, the Cowboys may well have a steal.

Certainly, coach Brian Schottenheimer has expressed interest in Trigg’s future.

Said Schotty: “Talk about Michael Trigg first, we’ve all seen the highlight reel catches and things that he did at Baylor—it’s impressive. You talk about a guy that can stretch the field vertically, and make game-changing ‘wow’ type plays attacking the middle of the field. I think that jumps out at you.”

Michael Trigg Has Worked With Cowboys TE Coach

And it’s also well known that Cowboys tight ends coach Lunda Wells has taken an early shine to Trigg, and worked with him during the predraft process. That means that the Cowboys can welcome Trigg with a knowledge of what they’re getting, and that Trigg will arrive with a certain comfort level for the team.

Oh, and he has a chip on his shoulder, to boot, for being passed up through seven rounds of picks

“I’d say more motivating,” Trigg told DallasCowboys.com of going undrafted. “Just putting a chip on my shoulder, honestly.”