CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens have looked every bit the part in Oxnard, and the Cowboys’ defensive backs haven’t given either one much breathing room. Still, the wide receiver group has been more than just a two-man show.
Jonathan Mingo has forced his way into the conversation, and that’s the part that makes Dallas’ roster math so tricky. A lot of people had already penciled him out when talking about the fifth, and possibly final, receiver spot on the 53-man roster. Two practices into camp, that feels a lot less settled.
Mingo opened camp with a catch on the final play of Day 1, snagging a pass from Joe Milton in traffic. It wasn’t flashy, but it showed concentration, and he had a step on the coverage. He followed that up Thursday with another strong session, this time working open over the middle and hauling in a Dak Prescott throw against rookie cornerback Devin Moore.
That kind of start has turned WR5 into what looks like the Cowboys’ toughest decision. And Mingo, of all people, is making it harder.
Former Cowboys scout Bryan Broaddus, now with 105.3 The Fan, was in Oxnard and came away impressed by what he saw Thursday.
"He had a couple of really good routes today," Broaddus said. "You talked about the dig, and Dak [Prescott] put the ball right on him. ...
When you put the ball in front of Jonathan Mingo, he's got a shot. He's a big guy.
He's got the length. He can separate, too, for a guy that big and can cover some ground. ..."
Broaddus also pointed out that Mingo ran the same route as several players before him, but Prescott’s throw was a little off target and Mingo couldn’t finish the play. As Broaddus put it, "you almost have to put the ball right on top of him" for him to catch it. Even so, Mingo answered with two "amazing catches" to close practice.
That limited catch radius has been a big reason Mingo hasn’t matched his second-round expectations, and it’s also part of why he hasn’t really stuck with the Cowboys. But right now, he’s one of the biggest surprises in camp.
The competition around him is crowded. Traeshon Holden, rookie Anthony Smith, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, undrafted rookies Jordan Hudson and Camden Brown, Denzel Mims, Tyler Johnson, and Jaden Smith are all in the mix. Holden and Smith have also drawn praise in Oxnard, while Valdes-Scantling quietly worked with the starting offense during Pickens’ absence in OTAs.
Dallas’ receiver room is deeper than just Lamb, Pickens, and Ryan Flournoy. KaVontae Turpin is also part of the picture, and everyone else is going to have to show value on special teams to stick. Mingo has some experience there, with 140 special teams snaps over three seasons.
The battle between Holden, Smith, Hudson, and Valdes-Scantling was already going to be tough. Add Mingo’s start to the mix, and the Cowboys suddenly have one more name they have to seriously consider.
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