Seth Walder: Regrading 8 trades from the 2024 NFL trade deadline

[TheSpecialJuan]

WR Diontae Johnson to the Ravens

Baltimore Ravens got: WR Diontae Johnson, 2025 sixth-round pick
Carolina Panthers got: 2025 fifth-round pick
Trade date: Oct. 29

Original grade for the Ravens: A
New grade for the Ravens: C

Original grade for the Panthers: D
New grade for the Panthers: B+

I didn't understand this deal when it was made. Johnson was decent for Carolina (357 receiving yards in seven games), had previously demonstrated a high-end ability to get open and looked like a valuable addition to the Ravens' receiver room. And the cost to acquire him -- a fifth- and sixth-round pick swap -- was nothing compared to Johnson's talent.

What I didn't know at the time was that Johnson was in the midst of flaming himself out of the league. After playing 39 snaps and having one reception for the Ravens, the team suspended him for a December game after he refused to enter the team's contest against the Eagles. Later that month, the Ravens waived him.

Johnson was then picked up by the Texans and played two games for them -- including a wild-card win over the Chargers -- and caught three passes. The Texans cut Johnson before the divisional round. He was claimed by the Ravens in an attempt to land a compensatory pick for him as a pending unrestricted free agent. He signed with the Browns this offseason but failed to make the team, despite Cleveland needing receiving talent.

In retrospect, it's clear there were off-field factors at play that led to Carolina deciding it was ready to move on. That explains not just the trade, but the return. This was clearly a failed deal for Baltimore, but the cost was minimal -- hence the "C" I handed it on the regrade.

[TheSpecialJuan]

WR Jonathan Mingo to the Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys got: WR Jonathan Mingo, 2025 seventh-round pick
Carolina Panthers got: 2025 fourth-round pick
Trade date: Nov. 5

Original grade for the Cowboys: D+
New grade for the Cowboys: F

Original grade for the Panthers: A
New grade for the Panthers: A

Sometimes trades seem inexplicable because we don't have all the information (see Johnson, Diontae). But sometimes a team simply made an inexplicable choice. That's the case here.

At the time of this deal, the Cowboys were 3-5 and quarterback Dak Prescott had just suffered a hamstring injury that would eventually cost him the rest of the season. That doesn't prevent them from making a deadline deal, but the return should have been great. It wasn't.

Mingo's numbers at the time of the trade were rough: 0.8 yards per route run over the first season and a half of his career and, at the time of the deal, an open score that would have ranked 110th out of 111 wide receivers had he played enough to qualify.

It turns out those numbers were a sign of what was to come. Mingo managed five receptions for 46 yards ... over eight games with the Cowboys. He has been on injured reserve because of a knee injury and has yet to play this season.

There's nothing wrong with taking a swing on a young player who hasn't lived up to his draft stock. It's just that the price was way too high. And that was especially true considering how little the second half of last season meant for Dallas. Carolina deserves credit for recognizing the value of the offer and cutting their losses -- getting a fourth- and seventh-round swap for their 2023 second-round pick was a gift.

[TheSpecialJuan]

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/46654966/regrading-deals-2024-nfl-trade-deadline-davante-adams-marshon-lattimore

[App Panther]

Who did we take with the Cowboys pick? Ransom? If so that will be insane value in a couple years.

[PanthersNCSU]

6 minutes ago, App Panther said:

Who did we take with the Cowboys pick? Ransom? If so that will be insane value in a couple years.

Etienne.

So, eh. But better than Mingo

[Captroop]

You have to credit Bryce for one thing, he paradoxically increased the trade value of our trash receivers. 

Teams were thinking, "these guys only look like crap because Carolina's QB situation is so bad." Little did the know, they were just crap.

Lookit Bryce! Little by little helping us claw back the draft capital we frittered away on him. 

[Jay Roosevelt]

That Mingo trade still baffles me.

[Waldo]

Would be more impressive if we would have targeted better guys in the first place but it's good to see them move on from some of their mistakes. Now do the rest already...

[strato]

Not a deadline trade but one point about the 2024 draft that Morgan has been slammed over and over for… he got us that 2025 2nd out of a move down I  think before we moved back up got Brooks? 
I think that pick he got, got us  Scourton. Haven’t seen that mentioned. 

[mrcompletely11]

8 minutes ago, Waldo said:

Would be more impressive if we would have targeted better guys in the first place but it's good to see them move on from some of their mistakes. Now do the rest already...

watch the netflix doc and it all makes sense

[cranky]

53 minutes ago, Captroop said:

You have to credit Bryce for one thing, he paradoxically increased the trade value of our trash receivers. 

Teams were thinking, "these guys only look like crap because Carolina's QB situation is so bad." Little did the know, they were just crap.

Lookit Bryce! Little by little helping us claw back the draft capital we frittered away on him. 

I just credit him for surviving them. 

[CarolinaRideorDie]

Panthers winning trades?!?! Are we in the multiverse? 

[strato]

I think Dan Morgan has fooled some of us and will turn out to be pretty shrewd. After this past year I think you have fo see how he can do with another offseason 

[Jon Snow]

I think you need to give some credit to Tillis as well. He's been instrumental in helping Dan understand player value and trade value relative to the draft. Dan was not a draft expert to say the least. He needed help with that and Tillis so far has earned his money.