The Dallas Cowboys, known for their bold moves under owner Jerry Jones, have made headlines again. This time, they’re stirring up controversy with a recent trade for wide receiver Jonathan Mingo from the Carolina Panthers. Amid an already challenging season marked by Dak Prescott’s injury, Jones sent a 2025 fourth-round pick to secure Mingo, sparking criticism across the league. With the Cowboys’ record wavering at 3-5, rival general managers are calling out Jones’ decision, suggesting he’s gambling on a move with little payoff.

One GM didn’t mince words, calling the trade: “Talented. A little raw. Comp is too much… basically a net 5th [round pick].” The GM went on to compare Mingo to current Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert, suggesting Dallas may not get the immediate impact they’re hoping for. Another exec agreed, saying, “That’s spot on. The value compared to the other WR trades. He’s in yr two of his rookie deal,” hinting that Jones might have overreached to fill a temporary gap.

Adding to the criticism, a third GM acknowledged the pick swap but maintained that “the compensation seems a tad rich.” The Cowboys could’ve possibly secured a more proven receiver, especially considering other recent wide receiver trades that cost less. Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III also weighed in, noting, “The Dallas Cowboys gave up more to get Jonathan Mingo than the Chiefs did for DeAndre Hopkins. Lord have mercy.”

Towards the closing of October, the Chiefs had completed a trade with the Titans to bag the wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. This deal facilitated the Titans to receive a 2025 fifth-round pick that will change into a fourth-rounder if the Chiefs make it to the Super Bowl and Hopkins plays 60% of the snaps, as per a source. In addition, Tennessee will pick up $2.5 million of Hopkins’ remaining $8 Million salary this season.

Coming back to the Cowboys, this deal underlines a familiar criticism of Jerry Jones’ approach to team-building—focusing on flashy, high-risk decisions rather than steady roster improvements. As the Cowboys face the reality of a season without Prescott, this gamble may only deepen skepticism about Jones’ strategy and the Cowboys’ future direction.

Cowboys’ season in jeopardy: Prescott’s injury and grim predictions from analysts

The Dallas Cowboys’ 2024 season seems to be unraveling fast. After a tough 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, which dropped their record to 3-5, the Cowboys received a gut punch: quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a hamstring injury. Prescott himself admitted the severity, telling reporters he “felt something pull” that he’d “never felt before.” His absence is expected to stretch for at least three games, possibly more if he lands on injured reserve, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Prescott’s injury comes at a critical time with Dallas staring down a divisional matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 10. The burden now falls on backup quarterback Cooper Rush, who has shown resilience in past stints but lacks Prescott’s playmaking ability. Former Pittsburgh Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger is already predicting doom, stating most Cowboys players are “mentally already in offseason mode” and adding, “They’re done even without Dak out for a couple weeks.”

Compounding the issue, Roethlisberger pointed to Prescott and Cee͏Dee Lamb’͏s contract extensio͏ns as a͏ reason ͏Dallas couldn’t͏ “load up the rest of͏ the team.” The Cowboys’ decision to inve͏s͏t heavily in star players has left them vulnerable, with analysts like Roethlisberger dou͏b͏ting they’ll reco͏v͏er͏ this season. Although linebacker Micah Parsons ͏might return soon, ͏the ͏Cowboys’ ͏p͏lay͏of͏f hope͏s are dwindling, and another loss could be the final nail in t͏heir͏ po͏stseaso͏n cof͏fin. A͏s Dallas’s͏ challenges mo͏un͏t,͏ ͏fans ͏a͏r͏e͏ lef͏t ͏won͏dering if the͏re’s any hope left for a tur͏naround.