There's a lot to be excited about from the Dallas Cowboys' latest preseason win, but it was impossible to miss how thin they are at tight end.
With Michael Trigg (toe) and DJ Rogers (knee) sidelined, Dallas relied heavily on recent signee Zach Kuntz, whose 43 snaps were the fifth-most on the offense. Luke Schoonmaker was the only other tight end active and played just eight snaps.
With just two healthy TEs behind Jake Ferguson and Brevyn Spann-Ford, the Cowboys signed Mitch Van Vooren and waived/injured defensive tackle Kevin Gilliam.
A fairly inconsequential roster move, but what does it mean for Michael Trigg? Is Dallas readying to waive the promising undrafted rookie?
Perhaps, but we think Brian Schottenheimer and Co. are going to pull the IR stash lever, just as they did with Phil Mafah and a host of other players last August.
Expect the Dallas Cowboys to stash Michael Trigg on Injured Reserve
The Cowboys are adding TE Mitch Van Vooren to the roster and have waived DT Kelvin Gilliam. A much needed addition with Michael Trigg, D.J. Rogers injured at the moment.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) August 24, 2026
No disrespect to Mitch Van Vooren, but he isn’t threatening Trigg’s future. A former track star, Van Vooren was cut by the Seahawks and Browns last summer after signing with Seattle as an undrafted rookie.
The second-year TE is simply a camp body to get Dallas through the preseason finale. He exists strictly to eat snaps against the Saints' reserves so Luke Schoonmaker doesn't have to. Had they signed a more accomplished tight end, maybe we wouldn't feel as confident about Trigg sticking around.
Trigg's missed time makes Schoonmaker a near-lock alongside Ferguson and Spann-Ford. Stashing the former Baylor star on IR allows Dallas to keep a young tight end with upside off waivers without forcing them to burn a 53-man roster spot on an injured rookie.
Another benefit to tucking Trigg away is that it would open a roster spot elsewhere.
If the Cowboys were already planning to keep six wide receivers, allowing Jonathan Mingo and Camden Brown to make the cut, they could use the extra spot on a safety like Julius Wood, who's played terrific all summer.
Trigg showed more raw potential in his single preseason outing against Seattle than Phil Mafah did throughout his entire rookie exhibition run.
The Cowboys can't afford to expose Michael Trigg to the waiver wire
That isn't a knock on Mafah, but Trigg instantly passed the eye test. Leading all Dallas pass-catchers with four receptions and adding 30 receiving yards, he proved to be a reliable safety net for Sam Howell while the offense was still finding its footing.
Trigg wasn't able to showcase the big-play ability that made him a seam threat at Baylor, but his debut proved he can move the chains. If he can pair that short-area reliability with his college upside -- and become a more reliable blocker -- it's only a matter of time until he cracks the tight end rotation.
It just may not happen in Year 1, and there's nothing wrong with that. With Schoonmaker entering the final year of his deal and unlikely to be re-signed, Trigg has a clear path to the 53-man roster next season.
Dallas can't risk exposing his upside to waivers, so given how high they are on him, expect them to stash him on IR during final cuts.
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