The Dallas Cowboys held their ground without star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb in Week 4. Quarterback Dak Prescott had his best game of the season, spreading the wealth all over the field and getting George Pickens involved in the passing game early and often. It's an encouraging development after a rocky September.
Although Lamb is still recovering from his high ankle sprain, head coach Brian Schottenheimer's offense could welcome another reinforcement pretty soon. According to Cowboys reporter Nicole Hutchinson, WR Jonathan Mingo is inching closer to making his season debut, as they plan to designate him to return from the injured reserve (IR) list.
Cowboys Designate WR Jonathan Mingo to Return
Mingo was placed on the IR after sustaining a right PCL sprain during the preseason. The Cowboys will now open the 21-day window to add Mingo to the active roster; otherwise, he would have to revert to IR and be forced to miss the whole season.
The Cowboys acquired Mingo and a seventh-round selection in a mid-season trade with the Carolina Panthers last year in return for a 2025 fourth-round pick. The former second-round selection made eight appearances (1 start) for the Cowboys, logging five receptions for 46 yards.
Despite the evident talent, Mingo failed to live up to the expectations early in his NFL career. So far, he's logged just 60 catches for 585 yards across 32 contests. Context matters, though, and it's worth noting that A) Bryce Young and the Panthers' offense struggled mightily as a whole, and B) he didn't get to play with Prescott last season.
Mingo is a prototypical X receiver with great speed for his size and position, and with Prescott slinging the football down the field in Schottenheimer's offense, he could be a strong complement next to Pickens while Lamb is still out.
As for Lamb, Schottenheimer had some decent news on that front. While he didn't offer much of an update regarding a potential return timeline, he claimed that he's progressing well and will be re-evaluated this week:
"Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer on WR CeeDee Lamb (ankle) and RG Tyler Booker (ankle): 'They’re doing good. Progressing well. We’ll see how the week goes,'" The Athletic's Jon Machota reported.
Until Lamb is back, the Cowboys will turn to the likes of Pickens and Mingo to lead the WR room, hoping that they'll be good enough to prevent the season from spiralling out of control.