The Dallas Cowboys traded with the Carolina Panthers for Jonathan Mingo on Tuesday. Sure, it occurred. That the Cowboys made a transfer for somebody shocked lots of people as they’re wanting like one of many lower-quality groups within the NFL by the primary week in November. Many thought, hoped greater than something, that Dallas would perhaps dump some belongings within the identify of competing extra severely subsequent season; nonetheless, waving the white flag has by no means been the crew’s type.
It doesn’t seem to be the Mingo commerce is the Cowboys doing one thing that they imagine will considerably assist them this yr because the lone constructive that persons are holding on to is that the Cowboys have him below crew management by the 2026 season. Take into account {that a} win for those who’d like.
Apparently the Cowboys do and paid what they did particularly due to that, not that that is surprising.
NFL insiders referred to the Jonathan Mingo commerce as a ‘shocker’
Tuesday marked the commerce deadline for each crew within the NFL so within the aftermath we’re seeing grades and issues of that nature being handed out.
ESPN discussed all of the action and famous insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano mentioned how the Mingo commerce was a “shocker” and that the Panthers have been “keen” to deal him.
Fowler: Carolina getting a fourth-rounder from Dallas in change for Mingo was a shocker. Former Day 2 picks who’re out of the lineup sometimes don’t garner that. The Panthers have been desperate to deal him. Sure, contractual management was a consider his worth. Mingo is within the second yr of his rookie deal, that means Dallas has him below contract for the subsequent 2½ seasons for barely greater than $4 million in complete. The Cowboys felt they needed to pay a premium for that, and Mingo does have some upside. However Carolina didn’t have a lot leverage right here. On a day that principally adopted a well-worn script, this transfer was off script.
Graziano: Yeah, Dallas wasn’t going to commerce gamers and wasn’t going to make a transfer for a rental. The Cowboys preferred Mingo when he got here out within the 2023 draft, the place he was the No. 39 decide, and so they felt they wanted some dimension of their vast receiver corps. Having Mingo below contract for 2 extra years after this season justifies the value of their eyes; mainly, they didn’t suppose they’d get anybody they preferred higher with that fourth-round decide.
Fowler’s evaluation is the extra damning one as it’s he who mentions the phrase shocker, that Carolina was keen and he even goes on so as to add that the Panthers had no leverage. All of that makes the commerce much more complicated.
Graziano additionally notes that the Cowboys really feel that the 2 additional years of crew management is what justifies the value, however he additionally provides that the group didn’t imagine they may get anybody that they preferred higher with that fourth-round decide. Excuse me, however that’s insane.
That the Cowboys might say in November that there’s no person they’d have preferred extra within the fourth spherical of a draft six months from now’s one thing mentioned solely to function a degree of reverse justification. My argument just isn’t that fourth-round picks always go on to affix the Corridor of Fame, however performing like it’s nugatory is ridiculous.
The place the crew is at within the present second underscores this concept completely. Whereas the conditions aren’t apples to apples, do the Cowboys perhaps really feel now that they’d be higher off with somebody from this previous yr’s fourth spherical versus Trey Lance on their roster (who they traded for with that decide)? , the Trey Lance who the identical article we linked to from ESPN notes that the Cowboys are unwilling to start out him whereas Dak Prescott offers with a hamstring damage.
The Cowboys even have Trey Lance on the roster, who’s an attention-grabbing participant to observe. Lance will get extra observe reps than regular by advantage of Prescott’s absence and the truth that he’ll should be able to play if one thing occurs to Rush. It’s additionally attainable the Cowboys construct Lance-specific packages into their offense to utilize his operating skill whereas they proceed to search for playmakers. However as of now, there’s no considered beginning Lance over Rush. They imagine Rush provides them the very best probability to win video games with Prescott out.
This crew just isn’t in any place to say what a fourth-round decide will or received’t be or might or couldn’t be. None in any way.
