Offseason programs are ramping up around the league, which can mean only one thing: Jobs are on the line.
That's obviously true for every team, including the Dallas Cowboys, who will be having some fascinating roster battles and competitions on both sides of the ball. And with all of the new players that have been added to the team through free agency and the NFL Draft, some players are starting of in much better standing than others for their potential roles on the team.
One player who finds himself starting the offseason at a disadvantage is former second-round pick Jonathan Mingo, a player the Cowboys acquired in a trade with the Carolina Panthers back in the middle of the 2024 season.
Even with Mingo's NFL Draft pedigree, he's failed to make an impression in his first two seasons with the Cowboys, and might be in danger of getting cut before the competition even gets underway this offseason.
Dallas Cowboys WR Jonathan Mingo is facing an uphill roster battle entering 2026 offseason
The good news for Mingo is that he's got a leg up on the new players that have been added to the roster this offseason.
The bad news? The fact that the Cowboys have added those players in the first place.
It's not like they've made any move on par with trading for George Pickens last offseason, but the Cowboys brought in veteran Marquez Valdes-Scantling this offseason on a modest one-year deal to add some depth, as well as Tyler Johnson. All three of Valdes-Scantling, Johnson, and Mingo are playing on one-year deals this offseason and seem to be in equal standing entering the offseason program, at least contractually.
The Cowboys also brought in seventh-round pick Anthony Smith, an underrated prospect out of East Carolina who could be a sleeper on the roster this offseason.
The fact that Dallas reworked Mingo's deal for what the team still thinks of him, but he's going to be in a fight for his roster life, even with Jalen Tolbert off to the Miami Dolphins in free agency this offseason.
The Cowboys have four roster locks at receiver already with CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Ryan Flournoy, and KaVontae Turpin. They've not only got those three veterans battling it out for spots, but Parris Campbell is also on the roster after signing a reserve/futures contract this offseason.
The opportunity is there for Mingo to finally figure it out, but with just six catches in 14 games so far for the Cowboys, it feels like he's facing a grueling uphill battle and could be entering the offseason program on the chopping block.
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