Just like Jerry Jones said they would be, the Dallas Cowboys were involved in Tuesday’s trade deadline sweepstakes. The sad part? Cowboys fans would have much rather the team remain dormant.

In a move that set social media ablaze for all of the wrong reasons, the Cowboys acquired wide receiver Jonathan Mingo and a 2025 seventh-round pick from the Panthers for a 2025 fourth-round pick.

It is unfathomable that Dallas gave up a fourth-rounder for Mingo, who has 55 career catches, while the Kansas City Chiefs gave up a fifth-rounder (that can become a fourth) for DeAndre Hopkins, who is one of the most accomplished and dynamic WRs of his generation.

While age and contract factor into trade cost, there is no caveat that can make this trade not look horrible from Dallas’ perspective.

Since the Cowboys are in the business of poor optics, they released defensive tackle Jordan Phillips after the deadline madness. Seemingly counting down the minutes until he got out of Dallas, Phillips teased on social media that he is headed back to the Buffalo Bills.

Cowboys release DT Jordan Phillips, who swiftly teases Bills reunion

That was fast.

The Cowboys acquired Phillips during training camp from the New York Giants. They sent a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Giants in exchange for Phillips and a 2026 seventh-rounder. The trade would have been negated if Phillips didn’t play in at least two games.

Wouldn’t you know it, Phillips played in exactly two games before he went on injured reserve, so the deal stands.

Phillips was put on IR in October with an apparent wrist injury. He voiced his displeasure with the move, which hinted he wasn’t injured enough to go on IR. It is speculated that Mike Zimmer had seen enough of Phillips and putting him on the shelf was the quickest way to get him out of the lineup.

The Cowboys opened Phillips’ 21-day practice window on Oct. 25. He had practiced for two weeks and was seemingly healthy, but he had not been moved to the active roster. His release felt inevitable since he went on IR.

At the end of the day, this trade was a complete waste of time and Dallas lost a sixth-round pick in next year’s draft because of it. Phillips was a third-stringer on the Giants before the deal. Asking him to play substantive snaps was a huge roll of the dice and it backfired in the worst way.

That the Cowboys are desperate for help on the interior defensive line and it took two games for Zimmer to wash his hands of Phillips should tell you how bad the trade was. Both Dallas and Phillips are to blame, but both sides are clearly better off moving in different directions.