Cowboys Returning WR Mingo Could Force Difficult Trade

When the Cowboys traded a fourth-round pick at last season’s NFL trade deadline to Carolina for receiver Jonathan Mingo, the team was widely ridiculed. Much better receivers–DeAndre Hopkins, Amari Cooper, Davante Adams–had been moved before the deadline at relatively cheap prices. But a fourth rounder for Mingo seemed excessive.

The counterpoint was that Mingo was a high-upside young player, who had been a second-round pick in 2023, and that a fourth-round pick might actually be a bargain if he could only stay healthy and put in the work to improve.

But in a year-and-a-half in Dallas, he has done neither. Mingo played in eight games last season, making just five catches on 16 targets, tallying 46 yards receiving. During training camp, he was considered a contender to be the team’s WR2 this season before the acquisition of George Pickens. Instead, however, Mingo has not played here in 2025.

Jonathan Mingo Coming Back From Knee Injury

To be fair, Mingo has not been healthy. He suffered a right PCL strain in the preseason and needed to be put on the injured reserve, forcing him to miss the first four games. Now, though, the Cowboys have three weeks to get him back on the field. He started practicing on October 1, and that means he must be activated in 21 days.

Coach Brian Schottenheimer said, when Mingo returned to practice, “I’m just excited to have Jonathan out there again. I know he’s really excited. He has not played football in a while but, you know, I know he’s really, really excited, so we’ll see how he does. … He’s been working incredibly hard in the classroom, spending time with the walkthroughs and things like that.

Cowboys Don’t Have Room

But where? The Cowboys are expecting CeeDee Lamb back from his ankle injury, and Pickens has been outstanding with the Cowboys. KaVontae Turpin is likely to be back in Week 7, and Ryan Flournoy had a breakout game in Week 5 (six catches, 114 yards).

Jalen Tolbert is still hanging around on the roster, with 10 catches and 101 yards on the season.

Cowboys Could Be Forced Into WR Deal

Considering all that, USA Today’s Cowboys Wire suggests that the Cowboys will need to find room for Mingo by trading a wide receiver. Mingo could be a trade flip himself, but there is sure to be no market for him.

The next-best thing: Move Tolbert.

“It’s possible the Cowboys could open a roster spot for Mingo via trade. A free agent in 2026, Tolbert seems like the most disposable and tradeable asset of the group in Dallas. Despite his disappointing start to 2025, Tolbert still has value after his breakout season a year before. He gives the Cowboys useful depth right now but if Lamb and Turpin return in Week 7 as expected, Dallas could probably afford to trade him and essentially replace Tolbert on the depth chart with Mingo.”

It’s not ideal. But the Cowboys might not have many other choices.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah shares a cryptic social media post with his playing future already in question with the Browns

Before the season even started, the Cleveland Browns knew they were going to be without two key starters for the entire year. Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah suffered a neck injury last season that he is still recovering from, and the Browns placed him on injured reserve prior to Week 1. Early in camp, cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. suffered an Achilles injury that will sideline him for the season. It was a tough pill to swallow for Cleveland, but at least with JOK, they were prepared.

 

The Pro Bowl linebacker missed the final nine games of last season after sustaining the injury while attempting to tackle Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry. Cleveland drafting Carson Schwesinger at the top of the second round in April was a clear indication that Owusu-Koramoah’s recovery was expected to take time. Since being placed on injured reserve, things have been quiet regarding the former Notre Dame star—until now.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah breaks silence with cryptic message

Less than two weeks ago, JOK posted a video on TikTok that flew mostly under the radar. Since then, the Browns have started their season 0-2 with losses to the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens. Owusu-Koramoah’s caption on the video is intriguing and has Browns fans wondering what exactly he meant:

“Long ago, the people watched a star. One night the star seemed to vanish from the sky. So night after night they looked, wondering if its light had died forever. What they did not know was that the star had not ended—it was preparing for a transformation. When it returned, it did not shine the same: it blazed with a radiance that marked the heavens. So too are some men who are out when the season begins. Their light is not lost—it is only preparing to burn brighter when his appointed time comes.”

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah just dropped this statement on his TikTok. pic.twitter.com/H5BxZnM23V

— Nick Pedone (@NickPedone12) September 17, 2025

Many have interpreted this as a sign that JOK intends to return after a year of rehab, ready to shine again. If that’s the case, the Browns could have quite the linebacker duo when he rejoins the lineup. Owusu-Koramoah was at his peak in 2023, recording 101 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and two interceptions across 16 games. Last season, he was off to a terrific start as well—through just eight games, he had 61 tackles, three sacks, and one interception. It looked like he was on the verge of an All-Pro leap.

For now, Cleveland is rolling with Schwesinger as their top linebacker, and the rookie has impressed. Mohamoud Diabate and Devin Bush have filled the other linebacker spots, with Bush’s level of play being one of the surprising bright spots of the early season. Still, the Browns are at their best with a healthy Owusu-Koramoah in the lineup. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen—but his cryptic message may hint that brighter days are ahead.

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