There is zero doubt what your answer would be. If asked for the most impactful (in terms of how we view it in the future) move the Dallas Cowboys made this season, it feels certain that you would mention the trade acquisition of George Pickens.
This is fair. Pickens has an enormous level of talent and we anticipate that he will join the Cowboys and be a rising tide that helps lift the boats of CeeDee Lamb, Dak Prescott, Jake Ferguson and others.
One thing that has sort of fallen by the wayside in the excitement of Pickens (and other offseason moves) is another wide receiver who is new to the Cowboys, at least to being a part of the team at this time of year. You remember that Dallas traded for Jonathan Mingo prior to last year’s deadline and that things since then, an admittedly small sample size, have not exactly been stellar.
Adam Thielen offered a vote of confidence for Jonathan Mingo
On Wednesday I had the chance to speak to Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen about his upcoming involvement in the American Century Championship. Thielen is quite the golfer for those unaware. You can watch our entire conversation right here.
As Thielen is a member of the Panthers he obviously had the chance to play with Mingo in Charlotte. Near the end of our conversation I asked him for his thoughts on Mingo’s situation with him getting the chance to have a full year with the Cowboys.
“I’d say the last two years, gone through a lot of adversity. A lot of different coaches, different offenses. A lot going on. I will say that I think he’s got a lot of potential. He’s a great kid. Hard worker. Great locker room guy. He’s going to do all the right things.”
“If you tell him to do X, he’s going to do X. That’s just the kind of person he is. Just a ton of talent. Can run, can jump, he’s strong, he’s big. I think there’s a lot of potential there. I think when he kind of really settles in and is a part of the same system and earns that trust to his quarterback, obviously a great guy to have on the team. Because he provides a lot of depth. And a guy who can do a lot of different things. He can play in the slot. He can play outside. He can block. He can take the top off the defense. There’s a lot of things that he does well.”
“I always believe in versatility. If you can play the different positions and you can do a lot of the different things, not just be a one-trick pony per se, I think it gives you a great opportunity to have success in this league. And I think he’s one of those guys.”
These are kind words and likely ones the Cowboys believed were true when they made the decision to initially trade for Mingo. It is arguable that they still feel confident in their potential truth.
Some have looked at the trade of Pickens as a statement from the team that the Mingo trade was already not successful. Whether or not it was or will be, the important thing is that the Cowboys have, as we have begged them to, hedged their bet. In years past they would have depended on the Mingo trade hitting and not done anything else to protect the situation.
If Mingo is able to round into any kind of proper form then the Cowboys could have a competition at WR3 between him and Jalen Tolbert. This would obviously be a very good thing. Obviously the Panthers themselves thought highly of Mingo by drafting him in the second round, and to Thielen’s point, there is certainly a lot of potential there.