Cowboys Minicamp: don’t buy into early hype on Jonathan Mingo, Joe Milton

Jun 14, 2025
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2 mins read
- Wide receiver Dak Prescott practicing during Dallas Cowboys training camp on a sunny day, wearing a red jersey and football helmet on lush green field.

If you have not seen by now, the Dallas Cowboys minicamp started this week at The Star, and whoa did we have some early things jumping out at us, and how many are going to fall into the trap?

Of course, I also get excited over football being back, but man, after the first couple of days you would have thought that Johnathan Mingo and Joe Milton were locked in a starting spot.

I know folks are going to get behind a hype train that just is not going to move anywhere when it matters.

Johnathan Mingo?

If we really look at it, Jalen Tolbert should be the guy behind CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, but during the first week, guess who looked good?

Despite his lack of regular-season success, Mingo is reportedly showing flashes of his own during minicamp as he looks to establish himself as a real player in the team’s wide receiver rotation.

During his eight appearances with the Cowboys last season, Mingo was targeted just 16 times, hauling in five catches for 46 yards, but let’s see how the hype train continues to move for Mingo as it is just the second week of June.

I would love nothing more than to be wrong about him, but he just doesn’t seem to be gaining any traction, and sure, maybe Mingo playing with Bryce Young and two backups in Dallas last year had something to do with it.

Joe Milton In The Zone

The Cowboys traded for Joe Milton for minor draft compensation.

During one game with the Patriots during his rookie season last year, Milton looked impressive despite playing against a fair number of backups for the Buffalo Bills defense.

He 241 yards and a touchdown on 22-of-29 passing with a rushing touchdown added in as he highlighted his natural athleticism and arm strength on the field.

According to tweets from those in person at the Camp, Milton showed more accuracy (10-for-10 in the team period), including an “incredible” deep throw to Jalen Cropper.

So here we go, people who hate Dak Prescott are going to take this bait and run with it. All against backups like it means something.

Milton will be a great backup to Dak if he goes down again due to injury, and if he does, I will be the first one rooting him on, but let’s pump the breaks on the Milton minicamp hype for now.

Shane Taylor

Shane Taylor

Shane Taylor is a Dallas Cowboys fan from the Midwest. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and works at a Junior College in the TRIO Upward Bound department. Taylor has written for two publications in his lifetime. The first was as a Sports Reporter for Journal Star while in college. He also spent a year as a Regional News Reporter for Shaw Media. When he is not working or writing for Inside The Star, he enjoys bowling competitively. Feel free to connect with him on his social media outlets listed below!

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VAM
VAM
Jun 13, 2025 3:21 PM

Would be great if Milton blossoms into a real starter at some point. But he will have to wait like 4 years behind QB1 at this point, as QB1 has an iron clad contract. Unless he gets injured and Milton shines bigtime in his stead, Milton looks to be stuck where he is right now for a good while. Even then, would they start JM over the 60-mil guy.

The thing with Milton that is puzzling, why did the Pats basically let him go for nothing? And then bring in Josh Dobbs as their backup. That says Pats think a vet that has bounced all around the league, nine times now, is better than a younger, “higher potential” QB. I agree, pump the brakes a little for now.

Cowboys fan
Cowboys fan
Jun 13, 2025 5:15 PM
Reply to  VAM

The Pats traded Milton away and brought in a veteran cause they didn’t want to young QBs on the same roster, and Milton was trying to take the starting job away from Drake Maye, and they didn’t want to have that kinda problem in the QB room, especially since they just drafted Maye in the 1st round of the exact same draft as Milton!! I guess they didn’t wanna look bad for having a 6th round QB that looked better than their 1st round QB!! I think we got him at a steal!! I’m not saying he’s great right now, but he has Josh Allen like abilities, with probably a stronger arm, so I think he’ll be a really good QB in a few years or so!!

VAM
VAM
Jun 13, 2025 10:58 PM
Reply to  Cowboys fan

I was thinking that may be the reason also. But to me it’s kind of foolish to basically give away a player that some think has real potential and then bring in a player that has been rejected numerous times with a very limited ceiling. What’s that saying, “iron sharpen iron”. Let them compete. But I get the saving face angle with the 1st rounder vs a 6th rounder.

Or maybe the Pats decided Maye was just better and let Milton go to maybe have a chance to compete with an older QB in DP at some point in time. That would be very generous of them in that case b/c they got almost nothing in return. Time will tell.

Edward Carmichael
Edward Carmichael
Jun 20, 2025 9:25 AM

a Dallas Cowboys fan, since the 70’s I never ever believe what all the sports media groups say because they are idiots and they don’t tell the truth and all the sports media groups waste their time listening to Jerry Jones they must be very board

Owen
Owen
Jun 27, 2025 11:47 AM

You’re wrong about Mingo. He’s so talented, but never really had a chance w/ the Panthers. Just wait and see, he can absolutely ball.

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