Panthers General Manager Dan Morgan met with the media on Wednesday and discussed his decision to trade two of the team’s wide receivers over the last couple of weeks.
The first of those moves involved sending Diontae Johnson and a sixth-round pick to the Ravens for a fifth-round pick and the other saw them move Jonathan Mingo and a seventh-round pick to the Cowboys for a fourth-rounder. In the Johnson deal, Morgan suggested that there was more in play than simply improving the team’s draft position during what’s likely to be a losing season.
“We felt at the end of the day that it was best for the team and best for Diontae that we both part ways and get the compensation there that we got,” Morgan said, via the team’s website. “So, at the end of the day, I just thought it was best for both sides to do that. He wanted a change of scenery, and we wanted to do things on our end as well. I think at the end of the day it’s just best for both sides to part ways.”
Mingo was a second-round pick last year, but had just one catch over the last four games and other wideouts like Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker have been playing more prominent roles in the offense. Morgan called the deal a win for both sides because the Cowboys get a “still developing” wideout and the Panthers can use the pick as part of their continuing roster construction.
