Cowboys Trade for Second-Year WR Before NFL Trade Deadline – Gridiron Heroics
Despite quarterback Dak Prescott’s recent injury, the Dallas Cowboys bolstered their offense at the 2024 NFL Trade Deadline. Reports indicate the Cowboys traded a 2025 fourth-round pick to the Carolina Panthers for a 2025 seventh-round pick and wide receiver Jonathan Mingo.
Mingo, in his early NFL career, has struggled, catching 12 of 26 targets for 121 yards (10.1 yards per catch) this season without a touchdown. He hasn’t topped 40 receiving yards in a game and has made only one catch in his last four appearances. Drafted in the second round in 2023 from Ole Miss, he has the potential to move up in the Cowboys’ depth chart.
This move surprised many, especially considering the cost. Comparatively, the Jets traded a conditional third-round pick for Davante Adams, and the Chiefs a conditional fifth for DeAndre Hopkins.
Why did the Cowboys make this trade?
Aug 19, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Cowboys owner Jerry Jones exits the tunnel before a game against the Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Aug 19, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Cowboys owner Jerry Jones exits the tunnel before a game against the Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
The Cowboys recently extended contracts for wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott, with linebacker Micah Parsons due for a new deal next offseason. To save on costs, the team needs affordable players, and Mingo, still on his rookie contract, fits this need. Although Mingo isn’t a high-profile acquisition, he’s a budget-friendly option who could develop into a more reliable receiver amid Dallas’s injury struggles in what’s shaping up to be a challenging season.