The Cowboys traded for Mingo back in 2024, and since then, we've barely seen him on the field.
Dallas Cowboys will begin training camp in the coming days, and there are plenty of storylines to follow.
From the running back and quarterback battles to how Christian Parker's defense looks, Caleb Downs and what his role is, the list goes on.
But Oxnard will also tell us a lot about the trajectory of some players in 2026, and one is receiver Jonathan Mingo.
After being traded back in 2024, we heard all about the "Mingo package," but the stats never showed up the way many thought. Just five receptions for 46 yards. ...
And our own Mike Fisher turned "The Mingo Package'' into a running gag that's become somewhat of a bust-related meme.
Last season, in Brian Schottenheimer's first year, Mingo had a productive camp, but in the final preseason game, he sprained his posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) and wasn't seen until late October.
That set him back a lot, and with the emergence of Ryan Flournoy, Mingo was once again pushed back to being an afterthought.
Just six games and one catch for 25 yards isn't good, and now Mingo will set foot in Oxnard knowing a lot is on the line.
Possessing good blocking skills at 6'2 and 220lbs, Mingo has the physicality to be productive in the run game, but it is his skills as a receiver that have to show up.
Last season, he played just 80 offensive snaps. That's it.
So, improvement has to come, and it stars in camp, but even that might not be easy.
CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and Flournoy are the top three weapons on the depth chart, but behind them? Everyone is on the chopping block.
KaVontae Turpin will make the team as a special-teamer and will moonlight as a receiver, but others, including Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Mingo, rookie Anthony Smith, Traeshon Holden, Tyler Johnson, Camden Brown, and Jordan Hudson, will all be vying for snaps.
Mingo has been with the Cowboys for a while now, and they know what sort of player he is, but the time has come for him to truly show what he's got in his locker because time is running out, and fast.
Every rep, every practice has to be productive; otherwise, he'll get overtaken, and when roster cuts come, who knows how it will land.
Will we finally see Mingo as a legitimate offensive weapon? We might find out in Oxnard.
