While injuries have taken a toll, the Dallas Cowboys are still one of the NFL's most disappointing teams this season. Always liable to outdo themselves, they were arguably the biggest loser of Tuesday's trade deadline when they had no business even being involved.
On a day where most teams got solid value in return for players they acquired, the Cowboys parted with a 2025 fourth-round pick for Panthers receiver Jonathan Mingo.
While there is nothing wrong with taking a flier on a 23-year-old wideout who has two years remaining on his rookie contract, Dallas without question paid a premium. The trade is made even worse by the fact that Mingo had fallen out of favor in a listless Carolina offense.
Ever loyal to their draft evals, Jerry Jones and Co. will say they had a third-round grade on Mingo in 2023 as a means to defend the move.
It is already apparent that the Cowboys got terrible value, but new intel from ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler (subscription required) proves they got swindled.
Details about Jonathan Mingo trade proves Cowboys and Jerry Jones got fleeced
"Carolina getting a fourth-rounder from Dallas in exchange for Mingo was a shocker. Former Day 2 picks who are out of the lineup typically don't garner that. The Panthers were eager to deal him. Yes contractual control was a factor in his value. Mingo is in the second year of his rookie deal, meaning Dallas has him under contract for the next 2½ seasons for slightly more than $4 million in total. The Cowboys felt they had to pay a premium for that, and Mingo does have some upside. But Carolina didn't have much leverage here."
- ESPN's Jeremy Fowler
"The Panthers were eager to deal him."
It doesn't get worse than that, folks. The Cowboys absolutely could have gotten a better deal if they knew how to negotiate. Paying a premium for a player that a team was desperate to part with is front office malpractice.
Again, Dallas likely harped on their draft grade for Mingo and his two years of team control. However, that only matters if he plays, at the bare minimum, at an adequate level. He hasn't even shown that through two dozen games, so what compelled them to give up a fourth?
It'd be one thing if other teams were knocking down the door for Mingo. It stands to reason that no other team called the Panthers about the Ole Miss product. If Fowler's intel is accurate, it's possible Carolina would have shopped Mingo in the offseason. Maybe they get someone to bite for a day three pick, or maybe they outright cut him after failing to find a buyer.
There is definitely some merit in hoping a change of scenery and catching passes from a superior quarterback in Dak Prescott will help Mingo come into his own.
However, the best game of his career was a 69-yard effort in Week 12 of his rookie year. His success rate over the last two seasons is dead-last among 126 receivers who've drawn at least 75 targets and he hasn't caught a pass in nearly a month. While Mingo is undoubtedly coming into a better situation, he has serious holes in his game.
We can get behind the idea of taking a flier on a young player with oodles of athleticism who excelled at a renowned program like Ole Miss, but the cost is indefensible. If he went for a sixth- or seventh-rounder, this wouldn't even be a discussion.
But this regime doesn't know how to negotiate, so here we are.
