On Tuesday, the Dallas Cowboys made an unexpected move, trading for Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jonathan Mingo just before the 4 p.m. ET deadline.

Out of all positions they might have upgraded, the Cowboys opted for a wide receiver—a decision that left fans unimpressed. Dallas gave up a 2025 fourth-round pick for Mingo, who had struggled to find playing time in Carolina.

When head coach Mike McCarthy was asked on Wednesday about the new addition, he gave a surprising response. According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, McCarthy explained that Dallas had confidence in their original draft assessment of the second-year receiver and admired his talent.

Archer mentioned that the Cowboys had given Mingo a third-round grade and hosted him for a top-30 visit in 2023.

McCarthy’s answer didn’t sit well with Cowboys fans, who were frustrated that the trade was based on an outdated draft grade instead of recent NFL performance.

Mingo had shown promise as a rookie, recording 43 catches (85 targets) for 418 yards. This season, however, he struggled to replicate that success, managing only 12 catches (26 targets) for 121 yards in nine games.

If Mingo’s stats from this season were transferred to the Cowboys, he’d rank sixth in receptions and seventh in yards, suggesting Dallas might have been better off developing Jalen Tolbert, who’s shown potential, especially with Brandin Cooks sidelined by injury.

Still, Dallas believes Mingo’s draft grade points to playmaking ability that could benefit the offense. Time will tell if trading for the former Panthers receiver was a wise move for the Cowboys.