Dallas Cowboys’ trade for Jonathan Mingo was the right investment

Why trading for Jonathan Mingo could pay off in the end.

Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys finally made headlines before the trade deadline by trading for wide receiver Jonathan Mingo, a second-year player from the Carolina Panthers.

Jerry Jones and the Cowboys front office have taken a lot of heat for this move, especially after giving up a potentially valuable fourth-round pick.

Jerry Jones and the Cowboys' front office have taken a lot of heat for this move, even after the Cowboys fanbase pleaded for a trade. The criticism has been particularly strong due to the team giving up a potentially valuable fourth-round pick.

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This was certainly a strategic move, intended more as an investment for the future rather than an immediate boost for the 2024 season—a season that, for Dallas, might already be considered a lost cause.

The key word here is investment, as all investments come with the risk of failure. However, if it pays off, it’s one less piece of the puzzle that Dallas will need to assemble in the offseason.

Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

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Although Jonathan Mingo hasn’t exactly thrived with the Carolina Panthers, it’s hard to say anyone has found much success there over the past half-decade.

Mingo may not have become the star the Panthers envisioned when they drafted him in the second round in 2023, but he still has the potential to be a more than capable starter for the Dallas Cowboys.

The Dallas Cowboys are trading for the player they saw potential in during the pre-draft process—not the player he became with the Panthers. No player, whether it’s Mingo or even Bryce Young, should be judged solely on their performance within one of the NFL’s most poorly run organizations.

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