OTAs will begin for the Dallas Cowboys on June 1 and will run through June 11. Mandatory minicamp will begin shortly after that, with the team working out from June 16-20. Training camp will follow in late July, which is when the fight for a spot on the 53-man roster will really heat up.

Dallas made some big changes on the defensive side of the ball this offseason, which will make for some interesting position battles. There will also be a few areas on offense where someone can steal a spot at the bottom of the depth chart. That said, here are three undrafted free agents to keep an eye on as they attempt to steal a spot on the 53-man roster.

Tommy Dunn Jr., DT

Cowboys On SI writer Mike Moraitis recently noted that Dallas signed three defensive linemen as undrafted free agents, proving that defensive coordinator Christian Parker wants to create more competition there. One player to keep an eye on is Tommy Dunn Jr. out of Kansas.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 305 pounds, Dunn is a developmental nose tackle prospect known for his ability to defend the run. His main competition will be second-year player Jay Toia, but since Toia was drafted under the previous defensive staff, the two will have a fair battle on their hands.

Langston Patterson, LB

Linebacker remains one of the thinnest spots on the Dallas roster. Their starters at inside linebacker are DeMarvion Overshown and Dee Winters. Behind them, the Cowboys have rookie third-round pick Jaishawn Barham and second-year linebackers Shemar James and Justin Barron.

There’s a possibility they add another veteran to the mix, especially given Overshown’s injury history. They could also stick with their current group, which would give Langston Patterson a realistic shot of making the team.

The 6-foot-1, 235-pound Patterson isn’t considered a great coverage linebacker, but he has a nose for the ball in the run game. He could also stand out as a special teams ace, which might be his best path to a roster spot.

Michael Trigg, TE

Entering his fourth season in the NFL, Luke Schoonmaker is considered a potential cut candidate. The 2023 second-round pick hasn’t established himself as a consistent threat, which leaves the door open for Michael Trigg to steal a spot.

Trigg played for USC and Ole Miss before finally hitting his stride with Baylor. In 2025, he recorded 694 yards and six touchdowns on 50 receptions. He boasts a massive catch radius and could be used as a vertical threat. Trigg has the best shot out of all UDFAs at making the team and could wind up being a long-term player in the NFL.

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The Dallas Cowboys will hold Organized Team Activities (OTAs) starting on June 1 and we would expect there to be some roster moves made after OTAs conclude on June 11.

This will be the first real opportunity we get to see the rookies and veterans on the same practice field, and that might be bad news for one of the Cowboys’ veterans.

That veteran is tight end Luke Schoonmaker, who has been nothing short of a disappointment since being taken with a second-round pick in 2023.

Not only has Schoonmaker not been a consistently good blocker during his career, the 27-year-old hasn’t offered much as a pass-catcher. Excelling in at least one of those areas is key for a depth tight end, yet Schoonmaker isn’t particularly great at either thing.

His play on the field is just one reason why Schoonmaker’s days with the Cowboys could be numbered.

Why Schoonmaker could get cut after OTAs

Along with his disappointing career that has so far spanned three seasons, another reason for Schoonmaker’s bleak outlook in Dallas is his contract situation.

The veteran is entering the final year of his deal and it looks like he is going to need a miracle to have a future with the Cowboys. And, there is an out in Schoonmaker’s contract this year, with the deal having a minimal dead-cap hit of $389,396.

Why would the Cowboys make the decision to cut Schoonmaker before letting him play out the final year of his deal? Well, it’s because of a pair of undrafted free-agent signings.

The more impressive of the two is Baylor product Michael Trigg, who the Cowboys clearly think very highly of after giving him a massive UDFA deal that includes $280,000 guaranteed.

Trigg is intriguing, to say the least. He has elite measurables for a tight end, and he was an explosive playmaker for the Bears, with Trigg going off for nearly 700 yards and six touchdowns in 2025. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer is clearly impressed with him.

“Talk about Michael Trigg first, we’ve all seen the highlight reel catches and things that he did at Baylor — it’s impressive,” the Cowboys head coach said. “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.”

There’s also DJ Rogers, who showed improvement in each of his last three seasons at TCU and culminated his college career with 319 receiving yards and two scores. Schottenheimer is especially a fan of Rogers’ versatility.

“I love the versatility that DJ brings,” Schottenheimer said. “You see him play some Y, some F, some fullback.”

Given the fact the Cowboys added a pair of tight ends after the draft suggests the team isn’t totally content with its current lot.

Getting a chance to see Trigg, Rogers, and Schoonmaker side by side at OTAs might be enough for the Cowboys to decide it just isn’t worth keeping the veteran around, especially because doing so could take key reps away from the rookies. We’ll find out if that is the case in a little under one month.

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