]

It only took 1 game for Jonathan Mingo to cement fears about Cowboys trade.

There are so many things wrong with the Dallas Cowboys, but poor roster construction should take the cake. Coming into the season, everyone was in lockstep that Dallas didn’t do enough in the offseason to replace the talent that was allowed to walk out the door.

The running back discourse has evolved into a national storyline, but wide receiver is another polarizing topic after the Cowboys bafflingly sent a 2025 fourth-round pick to the Carolina Panthers for receiver Jonathan Mingo.

Cowboys fans are rooting for Mingo to develop into an impact player. The 2023 second-round pick was a healthy scratch against the Eagles in Week 10 being the trade had just happened, but he made his highly-anticipated debut in Monday night’s loss to the Texans.

Despite the tempered expectations, Mingo managed to disappoint. He was targeted four times by Cooper Rush and didn’t catch a single pass.

It only took 1 game for Jonathan Mingo to cement fears about Cowboys trade

It stands to reason that Mingo will be more involved as he gets acclimated to the offense. He’s had less than two weeks of practice and only played 24 snaps Monday, which ranked fourth among Dallas receivers.

Believe it or not, Mingo almost had a marquee moment in his debut. On 4th-and-2 in the third quarter, Mike McCarthy called a sprint right option and Mingo broke free near the end-line. However, Rush sailed the pass over his head. Had Rush connected, Mingo might have scored a touchdown. At the very least, he would have moved the chains.

Alas, the Cowboys turned the ball over on downs.

The near-TD does not take away from Mingo failing to register a single catch. A whopping 10 different Cowboys had a reception in the game, including Deuce Vaughn. That is more of an indictment on Dallas than Mingo, however.

Despite spending a fourth-round pick on Mingo, Dallas was throwing passes to Flournoy and undrafted tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford. That’s poor asset management.

Because of the absurd price, Mingo has been subjected to unwarranted criticism. The Cowboys had a third-round grade on Mingo in the 2022 draft, but his production in 24 career games before the trade shouldn’t have commanded anything less than a fifth-round pick.

Mingo’s rookie deal runs through the 2026 season so there’s plenty of time for him to come good. Being that Dallas grossly overpaid for him, though, he needs to show something over the final seven games.

Related Posts

Buccaneers’ David Walker does something that has the NFL buzzing about the plane crash in India.

Buccaneers’ David Walker Shocks NFL With Humanitarian Action Related to Tragic Plane Crash in India While the American football world is focused on the NFL preseason, a…

Buffalo Bills’ Landon Jackson does something that has the NFL buzzing about the plane crash in India.

Landon Jackson – the rising young defensive end of the Buffalo Bills – has just made a touching gesture that has deeply touched the entire NFL community….

BREAKING: Travis Kelce loses 25 pounds after stressful NFL season amid criticism of weight gain.

Travis Kelce shed 25 pounds in preparation for the forthcoming 2025-26 NFL season after he was dragged for his “dad bod.” ESPN personality Jeremy Fowler revealed that…

UPDATE: Should the Buccaneers erect a statue to honor Tom Brady after his legendary legacy?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have never had a player quite like Tom Brady. The franchise, once defined by mediocrity and missed playoff chances, was transformed the moment Brady signed…

BREAKING: 2 Buffalo Bills at risk of cuts after 2025 training camp.

The Buffalo Bills are once again aiming high in 2025. They have a roster built to contend and a franchise quarterback locked in for the long haul. However, with…

BREAKING: Rashee Rice dodges Chiefs’ biggest question as he heaps praise on the offense.

After failing to become the first team in NFL history to three-peat as Super Bowl champions last season, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are looking to get…