FRISCO, Texas — Michael Trigg said Wednesday he is good to go for Friday’s preseason finale, four days before the Dallas Cowboys have to reach 53 players.
Trigg missed the past week with a toe injury and returned to practice Wednesday night at The Star, the last camp session of the summer and the second of two open to fans. He said he stayed on the mental reps while he was out.
“I feel pretty good,” Trigg said. “I wouldn’t say a step back, but just like locking in on the mental reps and still trying to stay attached to the game as close as possible.”
Friday is the last look the staff gets at him.
“It’s very important. I just want to be able to show my full talent so these coaches know what I got,” Trigg explained.
What Michael Trigg Thinks He Has Shown
Trigg said the thing he has put on tape this camp is a willingness to work.
“I think I showed a little bit of my dog mentality, like my will to work,” Trigg said. “And I don’t think I’m scared of anything, so I’m ready for any moment.”
Asked whether the approaching cutdown adds pressure, Trigg said it does not.
“I wouldn’t say pressure, but just me being me, I want to get out there and do the best I can,” Trigg said. “Me being in the situation I’m in, I’m going to go out there and give my 110 if I can, and I’ve got to let the chips fall where they may.”
The Jump From College to the NFL
The difference between college and the league, in Trigg’s telling, is precision.
“Details, just details in the playbook, details in how you’re running your routes and blocking schemes and stuff like that,” Trigg said. “It’s just more defined.”
Trigg signed with Dallas as an undrafted free agent after the 2026 draft. His contract included $200,000 guaranteed, according to Spotrac. He hurt his toe in the preseason opener at Seattle on Aug. 15, when he caught 4 of 5 targets for 30 yards across 32 offensive snaps. He missed the Aug. 20 practice in Oxnard, California, the Arizona game on Aug. 22, and Tuesday’s session at The Star.
Dallas is five deep at tight end after Princeton Fant suffered a season-ending injury. Jake Ferguson and Brevyn Spann-Ford are the top two. Trigg is competing with Luke Schoonmaker and fellow undrafted rookie DJ Rogers, who missed Wednesday with a knee injury.
Trigg caught 50 passes for 694 yards and six touchdowns at Baylor in 2025, was a first-team All-Big 12 selection, and was a finalist for the John Mackey Award. His 155 yards against Kansas State on Oct. 4 set a Baylor single-game record for a tight end. He started at USC in 2021 and spent 2022 and part of 2023 at Ole Miss before landing in Waco.
Dallas is 2-0 this preseason and sat 29 players in the 34-13 win at Arizona. The Cowboys have to move 37 players off the 90-man roster by Sunday.
Friday’s finale against New Orleans kicks off at 7 p.m. CT at AT&T Stadium on CBS locally. Rosters must be at 53 players by 5 p.m. CT Sunday, Aug. 30.
