We’re back with our second rundown of Cowboys players in 2026. The first was guard Tyler Booker, an ascending young talent with an assured spot on Dallas’ roster and starting lineup this year. Today’s focus moves to the other end of the roster spectrum with receiver Jonathan Mingo, whose status for this year is shaky at best. Some might argue that he’s a guy who might not even make it Oxnard.
Background
Years in NFL: 3
Acquired by: Trade (2024)
Mingo was a high second-round pick, 39th overall, by the Carolina
Panthers in 2023. It was seen as a reach by many: the consensus had Mingo no higher than a third-rounder, and many saw him as an early Day 3 guy. Still, Carolina saw him as a key piece in their offensive renovation, immediately starting along with first-overall pick Bryce Young at quarterback. But things went from bad to worse in Carolina that year, stamped when they fired head coach Frank Reich after a 1-10 start in just his first season. An offensive mind, Reich’s efforts were clearly not sufficient as Young and Mingo both struggled greatly as rookies. Despite starting 14 games, Mingo had just 43 catches for 418 yards and no touchdowns.
In 2024, the Panthers brought in a new general manager and head coach. As often happens in regime changes, and especially with new GMs, some players drafted by the previous staff lost a lot of security. Mingo was certainly one of them: Carolina used a first-round pick on Xavier Legette while also retaining Adam Thielen as the other starter from 2023. At QB, Young was benched for veteran Andy Dalton after two games. Mingo wasn’t very productive for either, and eventually fell to the point where he only got five total targets from Weeks 6-9.
At this point, the Cowboys sent Carolina a 2025 fourth-round pick in exchange for Mingo and a seventh-rounder. For Dallas, the move came after Brandin Cooks was injured and they weren’t getting the desired results from Jalen Tolbert’s third season, leaving CeeDee Lamb as their only threat at WR. Having been high on Mingo during the 2023 draft, they saw an opportunity to grab a second-year prospect who’d been limited by some tough circumstances in Carolina.
Unfortunately, Mingo remained unproductive in Mike McCarthy’s offense. His playing time was limited, especially after Cooks returned from injury, but he did little with what was thrown his way. Mingo then had to endure another big change when Brian Schottenheimer and Klayton Adams fully took over the offense last season. He suffered further, only appearing in six games and receiving five targets. He finished 2025 with just one 25-yard catch, but up until now has survived the chopping block this offseason.
Contract Status
Years Left: 1
2026 Cap Hit: $1.15 million
This is the final year of Mingo’s rookie deal from Carolina, which is still intact from the trade. But it didn’t go completely untouched this offseason as Dallas and Mingo agreed to the removal of a $812k workout bonus that was part of the original contract. Presumably, the Cowboys must have threatened to release Mingo if he didn’t agree to this change. While not be the best sign for his prospects going forward, it at least bought Mingo the potential opportunity to compete in camp.
2026 Projections
Role: Practice Squad
Roster Chance: 40%
You might be surprised that Mingo is even still with the team at this point. Dallas could have easily released him back in March rather than reworking the deal, which would’ve cleared that full $1.15 million off the cap. But instead they did the restructure, which at least makes you think they are interested in seeing Mingo in camp one last time.
A few things to consider.
One: as we’ve seen from his background, Mingo’s first three years have been professionally tumultuous. He’s already played for four different head coaches and was traded midway through just his second season. 2025 was his only offseason in Dallas, and that was in the middle of another such change. This could go a long way to explaining Mingo’s delayed development, and motivating the Cowboys to see what his first real taste of stability produces.
Two: Mingo is still just 25 years old. This isn’t a guy who was already 24 when he entered the league. Mingo’s youth may have partially contributed to his struggles so far. Even if not, it at least means he has a better chance at untapped potential than man players who are older when their rookie contracts expire.
Three: while Dallas’ top-three WRs are all but set for 2026 with Lamb, George Pickens, and Ryan Flournoy, it’s very murky on the bottom half of the depth chart. His lack of production last year aside, Mingo has as good a shot as other holdovers like Parris Campbell and Traeshon Holden, rookies Anthony Smith and Jordan Hudson, or recently-acquired veterans Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Tyler Johnson. Of all of them, Campbell and Mingo are the only ones who were even Day 2 picks, and Campbell is far more removed from his draft (2o19) than Mingo is.
All that being said, Mingo’s trajectory is hardly upward. While those signings of Johnson and Valdes-Scantling are hardly big news, they’ve both been more productive over the last two years than Mingo. They and Campbell may be more insurance policies against lack of development from younger guys, Mingo included. But that Dallas even brought them, on top of that contract reworking in March, in says they’re still dubious about what Mingo has to offer.
At this point, other options feel like safer bets. We expect KaVontae Turpin to get another year, even if his offensive role is reduced, so that’s another WR spot gone. If a young prospect like Holden, Hudson, or Smith has a strong summer, it’s easy to see them pushing through all of the veterans, including Mingo, for a job. And if Dallas only keeps five total WRs, that means only one of those guys has to deliver to push Mingo and the other older players to the street.
Clearly, Jonathan Mingo is on the thinnest of ice in 2026. His career so far generally takes guys right out of the league, but it appears he’ll at least get one more chance to turn things around. He’s still young enough, and with a real opportunity given Dallas’ thin WR depth chart, to have a decent shot. But he has to start looking like a different player now, perhaps even in the May and June camps and OTAs, or else he may not even be with the team by late July.
