So far, so good. The Dallas Cowboys have gotten off to a great start at training camp. The defense especially looks to have made some progress that’s hard to ignore. For example, to test DeMarvion Overshown’s communication skills, new defensive coordinator Christian Parker pretended the technology wasn’t working to gauge how the linebacker would handle the challenge. Overshown made the correct call and passed the mock test with flying colors.
Also, fellow linebacker Marist Liufau was moved in a lot
of different ways on day two of camp. As we have seen thus far, both sides of the ball have looked as advertised, especially the key players.
Yet, who is quietly making some noise?
Jonathan Mingo
After the first days in Oxnard, Jonathan Mingo has done some nice things. To end practice yesterday, he made a nice deep catch on a bullet pass from Joe Milton.
Today, Mingo made himself available to Dak Prescott for a nice catch and run over the middle of the field.
Ryan Flournoy, who has reshaped his body coming into this season, is the runaway favorite for the third receiver spot. KaVontae Turpin will also be there as a fourth receiver. Mingo has shown that he is a capable target who is trying to grab the fifth spot on the roster.
He’s a big body receiver with very good ball skills for passes thrown into in his radius. Sure, Dallas may have overpaid in a trade to acquire Mingo, but the talent is there, and he is trying to show it in this camp so far.
The Cowboys have formed a logjam of wide receivers after Flournoy that includes Mingo, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Anthony Smith, and Denzel Mims among others. KaVontae Turpin is all but assured to earn the fourth receiver spot as the primary return specialist. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as you can expect the top veterans to get days off over a long summer and give Mingo opportunities to leave a lasting impression.
The good news is that Mingo has already formed a chemistry with Joe Milton, who also has a lot to prove himself now that he is locked into battle for the backup quarterback role alongside Sam Howell.
Aside from Mingo, who are some other guys that have flashed in camp that we need to be looking out for?
