Jerry Jones' Cowboys have a ready-made replacement in camp after CJ Goodwin hangs it up

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C.J. Goodwin's retirement leaves a gap on the Dallas Cowboys that's harder to fill than his box score ever showed.

The 36-year-old cornerback announced his retirement on June 29, ending a 12-year NFL career. He spent his last eight seasons in Dallas, playing 108 games and logging 2,211 special teams snaps while rarely taking the field on defense. Goodwin, one of the Cowboys' six team captains in 2025, finished his final season with 18 tackles.

Special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen highlighted Goodwin's reliability last year, calling him a true professional who excelled at his role, via Patrik Walker of the team's official website.

Sorensen added, "He takes really good care of his body, he's a really good leader, but he also still produces. And you've gotta keep producing to stay in the league. He's consistently done that. He competes every day and does right, and keeps producing."

Now, Jerry Jones must replace a decade of coverage-unit production without an obvious heir on the depth chart. That's where Traeshon Holden comes in.

Holden is a 6-foot-3, 205-pound receiver who went undrafted in 2025. Over his two seasons with the Oregon Ducks, he caught 82 passes for 1,170 yards and 11 touchdowns. Before that, he was with the Alabama Crimson Tide.

He impressed in training camp last summer, leading the team with 42 receiving yards in his preseason debut before spending the season on Dallas’ practice squad. During that time, he became a fan favorite, and the Cowboys re-signed him to a reserve/future contract for 2026.

Holden's size and speed fit the profile for punt and kickoff coverage, offering him a secondary path to the 53-man roster behind established starters CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. Holden has openly embraced the competition, stating during last year's camp, "When I walk on the field, I'm the best player on the field."

Dallas hasn't named a starting gunner for 2026. They added safety P.J. Locke this offseason on a one-year, $4 million deal, which can reach up to $5 million through incentives, with special teams experience in mind.

But if Holden can pair his receiver traits with reps on coverage units the way Goodwin did for nearly a decade, Jones may already have a solid replacement standing in the same locker room, waiting for his shot.