Why was former TCU quarterback Max Duggan working out with the Dallas Cowboys?

The Dallas Cowboys worked out former TCU quarterback Max Duggan on Tuesday afternoon at their headquarters in Frisco. The team needed a quarterback to throw to wide receivers that team officials were also working out on Tuesday, and Duggan was in the area.

While there is no current intention to sign Duggan, it was good face time for the former Davey O’Brien Award winner ahead of an offseason where the Cowboys may be looking to add a quarterback to the roster with impending expiring contracts on Cooper Rush and Trey Lance.

After being drafted in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Chargers, Duggan has yet to find footing in his NFL career. He bounced between the practice squad and the active roster multiple times as a rookie in Los Angeles but never saw the field. He was released by the team after training camp in 2024 after appearing in just one preseason game.

The TCU product carved his name among the athletic legends in Fort Worth as a senior when he led the Horned Frogs to their first national championship game appearance since 1938. He threw for 3,698 yards and accounted for 41 touchdowns on his way to leading TCU to a 12-2 record, including an upset over undefeated Michigan in the national semifinal game.

On Tuesday, the Cowboys also worked out wide receivers Denzel Mims, Chase Cota, Dante Pettis and Seth Williams along with defensive ends Shaka Toney and Luiji Vilain. After a brief evaluation, the team signed Vilain and Williams to the practice squad.

Williams, a product of Auburn who was drafted in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos, has one career reception for 34 yards. He spent one season in Denver before being released and subsequently signed to the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad where he spent the last two seasons.

With the Cowboys needing depth at wide receiver following a knee injury to Brandin Cooks, Williams provides further insurance at the position.

Vilain, a product of Michigan, was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2022 by the Minnesota Vikings and made the final roster after a big training camp and preseason. He appeared in three games as a rookie and accounted for four tackles. After being relegated to the practice squad in 2023, he was quickly poached by the Carolina Panthers where he appeared in one game before being placed on the injured reserve list with a knee issue. He most recently spent two weeks on the Cleveland Browns practice squad earlier this season.

Following the injuries to Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence and Marshawn Kneeland, Vilain adds depth at the edge position for the immediate future.