The Dallas Cowboys made a trade on Tuesday and that likely signals the end of a veteran on the roster.
The Dallas Cowboys are in the middle of a three-game losing streak as they approach Week 10. On Sunday, they suffered a 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, dropping their season record to 3-5. In that game, Dak Prescott injured his hamstring, and CeeDee Lamb sustained shoulder pain after spraining his AC joint.
Rather than sticking with their current roster, the Cowboys made a questionable trade on Tuesday morning, sending a 2025 fourth-round pick to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for receiver Jonathan Mingo and a 2025 sixth-round pick.
Although this trade seems like a big overpayment for an underwhelming receiver, the Cowboys have confidence in Mingo. During the 2023 Draft process, NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. had actually projected Dallas to pick Mingo in a mock draft.
On Tuesday, team owner Jerry Jones stated that they were bringing in a receiver they had “admired since his college days.” The team believes in the 23-year-old Mingo, who is signed through the 2027 season.
This move likely marks the end of Brandin Cooks’ time with the Cowboys. Currently on injured reserve due to a knee injury, Cooks has missed the past four games. Even before his injury, he struggled this season, recording just nine catches for 91 yards and one touchdown.
Set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season, the Cowboys are expected to let Cooks enter free agency. He will turn 32 during the 2025 season, and in his 20 games with Dallas, he’s tallied just 63 catches for 748 yards and nine touchdowns.
With CeeDee Lamb now the league’s second-highest-paid receiver at $34 million per year, the Cowboys are prioritizing younger talent on rookie contracts, making Cooks’ future in Dallas uncertain.
