The Dallas Cowboys made a surprising move on Tuesday, acquiring wide receiver Jonathan Mingo from the Carolina Panthers ahead of the 4 p.m.

ET trade deadline. Out of all the positions the Cowboys could have addressed, they chose to add a wide receiver, which left many fans scratching their heads.

The Cowboys sent a 2025 fourth-round pick to Carolina in exchange for Mingo, a player who has struggled to earn consistent playing time with the Panthers.

On Wednesday, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy addressed the trade, offering a somewhat perplexing explanation for the acquisition.

According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, McCarthy explained that Dallas relied on its draft grades when deciding to trade for Mingo.

The head coach emphasized that the team still believed in Mingo’s potential, noting that the Cowboys had rated him with a third-round grade when he entered the NFL. Mingo had even visited the team in the 2023 draft process.

This explanation didn’t sit well with many Cowboys fans. Rather than basing the trade on Mingo’s recent production in the NFL, Dallas seemed to be focusing on his potential as assessed during the draft process.

In his rookie season, Mingo showed promise with 43 receptions on 85 targets for 418 yards.

However, his performance has dipped in 2023. In nine games this season, he’s managed just 12 receptions for 121 yards.

If you compare Mingo’s 2023 numbers to the Cowboys’ current roster, he would rank sixth in receptions and seventh in receiving yards.

Fans have pointed out that Dallas might be better off developing young receiver Jalen Tolbert, who has shown flashes of ability this season, especially with Brandin Cooks sidelined by injury.

Despite the concerns, the Cowboys remain confident in Mingo’s potential, believing that he could develop into a playmaker in their offense.

The team will soon find out if this trade was a savvy move or if they overvalued a player based on past projections.