The Dallas Cowboys face a crowded and competitive fight for roster spots at wide receiver this training camp, with several veterans and younger players vying for limited openings beyond the established starters.
CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens remain locked in as the clear top two options in the receiving corps. Ryan Flournoy is widely expected to secure the third wide receiver role heading into the season.
KaVontae Turpin is projected to make the 53-man roster largely because of his contributions on special teams. That leaves a handful of players battling hard for the fifth spot and possibly a sixth if the team elects to keep an extra receiver.
Joseph Hoyt of The Dallas Morning News recently released updated roster projections that place rookie seventh-round pick Anthony Smith ahead of veteran Jonathan Mingo for that final wide receiver position. Hoyt’s projection also lists Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Traeshon Holden among those expected to be cut.
“The race for the fifth (and maybe sixth) receiver spots for the Cowboys is far from decided,” Hoyt wrote in an August 7 story. “Each of the candidates have had moments where they’ve looked like they could be the one, but there hasn’t been enough consistency from any of them to warrant a lock on the roster.
“Here, we swap out Traeshon Holden from our first projection for rookie seventh-round pick Anthony Smith. The reason: The Cowboys have used Smith in intriguing ways. He’s caught a lot of screen passes. I wonder if they have a plan for him. The joint practices and preseason games will be huge for deciding this race.”
The Cowboys acquired Mingo from the Carolina Panthers during the 2024 season in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick. The former second-round selection from the 2023 NFL Draft has struggled to find consistent production since joining Dallas.
In his two seasons with the Cowboys, Mingo has yet to score a touchdown. During the 2025 season he recorded just one reception for 25 yards across six appearances. Overall with Dallas, he has managed only a handful of catches for limited yardage in limited opportunities.
Mingo is under a one-year contract worth approximately $1.145 million for 2026. He has earned more than $7 million over the course of his NFL career so far. At age 25, the 6-foot-2, 225-pound receiver continues looking to establish himself as a reliable contributor after being selected 39th overall by Carolina three years ago.
Roster decisions grow more urgent as the calendar advances. NFL teams must reduce their rosters to 53 players by Aug. 30, giving coaches and front-office staff roughly two more weeks of practices and preseason games to sort out the final cuts.
Undrafted free agent Camden Brown has also drawn attention in the wide receiver competition.
“Undrafted free agent wide receiver Camden Brown is someone to keep an eye on,” Hoyt added. “He’s a longshot to make the roster, but he’s made some plays and could warrant a practice squad spot at this point.”
The depth chart battle reflects broader trends across the league, where teams often keep five or six receivers and prioritize special teams value or specific skill sets for the final spots. Dallas enters camp with strong starters but considerable uncertainty lower on the depth chart.
Mingo’s limited production since the trade has put him in a difficult position. Younger players and veterans with different skill sets have shown flashes that keep the competition open. Preseason performances and joint practices with other teams will likely prove decisive in determining who stays and who is released.
Cowboys coaches have emphasized competition at several positions this summer. At wide receiver, the lack of consistency among the candidates for the lower spots has left the final decisions unsettled for now.
Fans and analysts will watch closely as the team works through the remaining weeks of camp to finalize its 53-man roster.
