The Dallas Cowboys wide receiver corps has a clear top two. CeeDee Lamb is the star. George Pickens is the explosive No. 2. After that, things get interesting.
According to Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas News, the team already considers Ryan Flournoy and KaVontae Turpin locked in as the third and fourth receivers. That leaves two or maybe three spots up for grabs, and the competition includes a familiar journeyman, a rookie, an undrafted long shot, and a former second round pick who has yet to find his footing in Dallas.
The most experienced candidate is Marquez Valdes-Scantling. He’s been on eight rosters since 2021, which is almost hard to wrap your head around. But the guy has nearly 3,700 career receiving yards and at 31 years old, he brings a steady veteran presence. Hoyt noted that his path to making the roster likely depends on whether he can contribute on special teams.
Then there’s Anthony Smith, a seventh round pick out of East Carolina. Rookie, late rounder, has a lot to prove. Training camp will be his chance to show the front office he’s worth a developmental spot.
The name that might surprise people is Traeshon Holden. He went undrafted but showed up higher in the rotation during minicamp than most outsiders expected. If he keeps that momentum through camp and the preseason, he could steal a spot.
And then there’s Jonathan Mingo. The former Panthers second round pick was acquired by Dallas at the 2024 trade deadline. So far, it’s been tough for him to make an impact. Hoyt suggested he might be the receiver most in danger of losing his spot. That’s not great news for a guy with that kind of draft pedigree, but he still has time to change the narrative this offseason.
What happens next? Probably comes down to special teams value and who stands out in practice. Valdes-Scantling has the experience edge. Holden has the surprise factor. Smith is the young flyer. Mingo has the most to lose.
The Cowboys don’t need five or six wideouts to be stars. They need guys who can run a route, block, and not screw up on special teams. That sounds simple enough. But every summer, a handful of players learn the hard way that simple and easy are not the same thing.
Leave a Comment