Things are just hard in the NFL for an undrafted free agent. For Cowboys training camp star Camden Brown, that reality seems to be coming into focus, especially on Friday night against the Saints. Even before the game, when the coaching staff decided to sit out wide receiver Jonathan Mingo, it became clear that Brown’s chance of earning a spot on the 53-man roster was fading.
The Cowboys have mostly avoided putting players they’re sure will be on the 53-man roster on the field during the preseason. When the team decided not to dress Mingo, who has had a limited impact in a season-and-a-half with the Cowboys, it was a clear signal that Mingo’s spot on the roster was safe, despite a stellar showing from Brown, who was signed after the draft out of Georgia Southern, this summer.
Brown grabbed early attention in training camp in Oxnard, and backed it up with he preseason production: eight catches, 166 yards and two touchdowns in three games.
Cowboys Could Keep Both Jonathan Mingo and Camden Brown
It is possible that the Cowboys could go with six receivers as they make roster decisions this weekend. That would afford a spot for Brown. But the team is lacking depth in several key areas, and it may be that carrying six receivers, especially when your top two are CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, is a luxury that the Cowboys can’t afford.
Ryan Flournoy is safe as the No. 3 receiver, and return man KaVontae Turpin is No. 4. So, if it comes down to five receivers, the Cowboys were always going to have to choose between Mingo and Brown.
Jonathan Mingo Acquired for a 4th-Round Pick
The Cowboys shipped out a fourth-round pick, a surprisingly hefty price, for Mingo in 2024, and that is probably a factor in deciding to keep him. But he has played in only 14 games in his time with the Cowboys, making six catches for 71 yards.
Still, coach Brian Schottenheimer explained: “I think Jonathan Mingo has played really, really well. Not just in the preseason games. But throughout the course of training camp. He has played really well on offense, he played really well on special teams and he deserved to not play tonight.”
Cowboys Have Tough Roster Decisions Ahead
The Cowboys will get to work on cutting the roster down on Saturday, and no doubt, Brown will be one of the players most closely watched. There’s a chance that Dallas can slip him onto the practice squad, but he would be exposed to being poached by other teams in that case.
Schottenheimer does not like this part of the job, as he said: “I think, as a coaching staff, these next 24 hours-plus, we do focus on our own roster. Our guys, the guys that we know, the guys that we love, the guys that we care about, the guys that I have gotten to know their families, that I have gotten to know what motivates them and why they play this game. The personnel guys and scouts, they’re diving into other rosters and potential moves. But we’ve got some time, but we have to make sure we get the decisions right about our roster first, which we will.”
Cowboys Drop Major Hint on Key Roster Decision After Final Preseason Game