The Dallas Cowboys made serious strides throughout head coach Brian Schottenheimer's first year on the job. Those improvements weren't enough to facilitate a playoff berth, leaving the Cowboys looking for upgrades across the roster this offseason.
Although their offense was far from a concern in 2025, the Cowboys could still move on from underperforming playmakers this spring, including Jonathan Mingo. The 24-year-old wide receiver was practically invisible last season, giving Dallas every reason to turn the page before he causes even more headaches.
It's Time for Cowboys to Consider a Jonathan Mingo Split
Mingo is the textbook example of someone who showed plenty of potential in college, only to fizzle out in the NFL. The former Ole Miss wideout showed plenty of upside by amassing 112 catches for 1,758 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns for the Rebels, leading to the Carolina Panthers drafting him 39th overall in 2023.
It wasn't long before Mingo fell out of favor in Raleigh, NC. He, along with a 2025 seventh-round pick, was shipped off to Dallas in exchange for a fourth-rounder in last year's draft ahead of the 2024 NFL trade deadline. It seemed like a decent gamble for the Cowboys, as star WR CeeDee Lamb desperately needed help.
Paying a fourth-round pick for a pedestrian playmaker was a head-scratcher at the time, and that became more of the case as time passed. Mingo finished his 2024 Cowboys run with an uninspiring 46 yards on five touchdown-less grabs in six games. As disappointing as his effort was, though, some fans attributed those struggles to the fact that a mid-season trade doesn't give a player much time to learn his new team's playbook.
Despite having a full offseason under Schottenheimer & Co., Mingo remained an afterthought in 2025. The Brandon, MS native was only dressed six times, catching just one of his five targets for 25 yards without contributing in any meaningful way. Making matters worse for his outlook is that Ryan Flournoy used the opportunity to emerge as Dallas' WR3, while KaVontae Turpin saw a career-high 380 offensive snaps.
Potential Offseason Split Would Help Both Cowboys, Mingo
Assuming George Pickens isn't going anywhere, all signs point to Mingo being the Cowboys' WR5 at best, and left off the roster entirely at worst. And, honestly, the latter scenario seems more likely.
After all, the Cowboys still have wideouts like Parris Campbell, Traeshon Holden, and Justin Barron, who are still under contract in 2026, to compete for depth spots. That's without mentioning how owner/general manager Jerry Jones also has April's draft at his disposal, as well as free agency to add warm bodies to compete in training camp.
Not only would a split clear up a wideout logjam, but it'd also help the Cowboys — who are more than $29.1 million above the salary cap, per OverTheCap — with their financial situation. It might not be much, but the $1.9 million or so that comes with an offseason cut (Spotrac) is enough to help Dallas sign a player to address more pressing positional needs (running back, safety, etc.).
It'd also give Mingo a fresh start elsewhere, seeing as he's young enough to have many more NFL seasons ahead of him. WR-needy teams, such as the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, and Kansas City Chiefs, might be potential landing spots that can rehab his image on a one-year, prove-it deal.
At the end of the day, all signs point to a split being the right decision. Mingo has had more than enough time to make things work, and every attempt has further shown that he isn't the right fit for the Lone Star State. That isn't even his fault, as some players and situations simply don't mesh. That's football.
The Cowboys took a gamble, and it didn't pay off. It's time to turn the page on Mingo so that he and Dallas can start working on what's best for their respective futures.