If you need a reminder that anything can happen in the NFL, remember that the Carolina Panthers managed to get a fourth-round draft pick from the Dallas Cowboys for Jonathan Mingo. Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers were only able to get a fifth for Deebo Samuel from the Washington Commanders.
Why the worse return when Samuel is a far superior talent? The short answer is that teams take what they can get, especially when they’re trying to find room to pay their diminutive starting quarterback who would be out of the league in a month with any other team. That’s a story for another day, though.
As for Mingo, he’s quickly earning a label as another big draft bust by Carolina’s front office in recent years. The Panthers took him in the second round of the 2023 draft out of Ole Miss, and after playing 24 games with Carolina and eight more with Dallas after the trade, Mingo has still yet to score a touchdown in the NFL.
The situation for Mingo has gotten so bad that he’s become a punchline. Check out this random insult that a reporter at the NFL Combine threw Mingo’s way while asking a question directed at another Ole Miss receiver.
Tough scene.
The lesson is to do as many trades with Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys as possible, and also that the Panthers need to work on how they’re evaluating these high-end receiver prospects.
