Jonathan Mingo heads into Dallas Cowboys training camp in Oxnard with plenty to prove. With CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Ryan Flournoy, and KaVontae Turpin firmly ahead in the wide receiver pecking order, earning a roster spot won’t come easy. Adding to the concern, Cowboys insider Bobby Belt couldn’t help but notice Mingo’s uninspired body language during mandatory minicamp.

“Mingo’s one [guy] who, when I saw him out at the mini camp, just, he was doing some rehab stuff, I guess, but just like, when he would pop up on the field, [he] did not look like a dude who wanted to be there,” Belt said on Sham & RJ. “It was kind of like, he may be dejected because he’s hurt. But it did not look like he wanted to be out there at that moment.” 

Mingo didn’t look fully engaged during drills. In fact, multiple Cowboys reporters and team insiders noted that Marquez Valdes-Scantling saw a significant amount of first-team reps during spring practices, putting him ahead of Jonathan Mingo in the early pecking order.

But a poor performance in the minicamp might further diminish Mingo’s chances of getting into the active roster. With the blockbuster arrival of Pickens, combined with an already full WR room, Mingo’s chances have significantly decreased.

Not to forget, with Jalen Tolbert gone in free agency and the Cowboys appearing less invested in Mingo than they were a year ago, Traeshon Holden has a legitimate chance to earn a spot on the 53-man roster. To do that, though, he’ll need to show he can contribute in the less glamorous areas of the game.

As for Mingo, through 38 games, he has a total of 61 receptions on 132 targets for 610 yards and no touchdowns. That’s certainly not as impressive as Lamb’s or Pickens’ resume. Still, Brian Schottenheimer seemed intrigued by the former Ole Miss standout. 

There is still a chance for Jonathan Mingo 

“We have a number of receivers that we’re confident in, but Mingo is a guy that we’re really excited about,” the head coach said about Mingo. “We want to see him play. It’s been a competitive battle between him and a couple of the guys for that last spot. Again, it comes down to not just offense, but special teams as well.”

“My big thing for Jonathan has just been, Hey, can you play all the spots? Can you do all the different areas? He understands that. There’s a chance he’s activated this week.”  

Now, he aims to climb the ladder through the training camp starting on 29 July 2026. He’s still 25 years old and has an opportunity as a WR3. Even though the chances are slim, we might still see him playing on the field during the regular season. 

When the team officially reports to Oxnard later this month, it will provide the ultimate opportunity for Mingo to hit the reset button. Once cleared to practice, he must immediately prove himself worthy, aggressively compete for a roster position, and earn his way onto the field. 

With training camp approaching and competition intensifying across the Cowboys’ receiving corps, the former second-round pick may soon have an opportunity to replace questions about body language with undeniable answers on the field.