Payton Turner, Jonathan Mingo injury updates: Cowboys place two on IR to begin season

The Dallas Cowboys are placing defensive end Payton Turner and wide receiver Jonathan Mingo on injured reserve, per Todd Archer of ESPN. Both will miss at least the first four games of the 2025 NFL season.

Turner has broken ribs, while Mingo is sidelined with a knee injury. Turner, a 2021 first-round pick out of Houston, signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys this offseason after spending the first four years of his career with the New Orleans Saints. He’s been dealing with the rib issue since the first preseason game, and it became worse in the preseason finale against the Atlanta Falcons.

Turner was projected to be a rotational piece in the Cowboys’ front seven. Often injured in New Orleans, Turner has played in just 31 games since entering the league. He’s compiled 50 tackles (30 solo), 11 tackles for loss, five sacks and two forced fumbles.

Cowboys shorthanded heading into Week 1 vs. Eagles

Mingo, a 2023 second-round pick out of Ole Miss, arrived in Dallas last November in a trade from the Carolina Panthers. The Cowboys traded a 2025 fourth-round pick to acquire Mingo. He has struggled to make an impact in the NFL, catching 60 passes for 585 yards and zero touchdowns in 32 games. Mingo played in eight games for the Cowboys last season, making just five catches for 46 yards.

“Just trying to take precautionary measures,” Mingo said of the injury, via DallasCowboys.com. “Something felt a little weird, so I just went and talked to [the Cowboys’ training staff.] Just trying to go about it the right way.”

The Cowboys made some additional moves as rookie tailback Phil Mafah will make the 53-man roster but will then be moved to injured reserve with a shoulder injury. Cornerback Shavon Revel, the team’s 2025 third-round selection, will begin the season on the Non-Football Injury/Illness (NFI) list as he recovers from a torn ACL.