Can the Cowboys Trade Tony Romo for a chance at Myles Garrett?

If the Dallas Cowboys do opt to trade veteran quarterback Tony Romo in the offseason, can they gather enough ammunition for a chance to draft Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett?

The Dallas Cowboys need a pass rusher. The top pass rusher in the 2017 NFL Draft appears to be Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett. But with the Cowboys currently sitting at 9-1, it’s seems very unlikely Dallas will even have a chance to draft Garrett. But if the Cowboys opt to trade veteran quarterback Tony Romo this offseason, could that change?

Through eleven weeks of the NFL regular season, the winless Cleveland Browns are the favorites to be granted that coveted number one slot. And according to CBS Draft Analyst and co-host of the Draft Show for DallasCowboys.com, Dane Brugler, the Browns should select the Aggie defender number one overall.

Brugler calls Garrett the best talent in the upcoming draft. And that’s exactly the kind of difference maker the Cowboys would love to have along their defensive line.

DE Myles Garrett showing he's more than just a "speed" rusher. #FreakShow https://t.co/bmcAB0rLIV
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) September 3, 2016

So far this season, the native of Arlington, Texas has racked up 30 total tackles, 14.0 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in eight games for Texas A&M. In Garrett’s previous two seasons combined, he’s posted a total of 108 tackles, 32.0 tackles for a loss and 22.5 sacks in 24 games.

Unfortunately, getting a player like Garrett comes at a steep price. And it’s one that the current Cowboys are unlikely to pay. But the one caveat could be the possible trade of Romo this season. If the Cowboys pull the trigger with that move, it might give them enough ammunition to trade up.

First, let’s consider a trade for Romo directly to the Browns. It appears Cleveland could certainly use a veteran starter like Tony under center. But it’s unlikely a place Romo would want to go due to their lack of success and porous offensive line. And I believe Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones will consider the veteran’s opinion in selecting a potential trade partner. So it’s unlikely the Cowboys trade Romo to a team even close to the Top Five.

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Secondly, how high of a draft selection do you think the Cowboys could get for Romo? On one hand, he’s a starting quarterback that has the potential to immediately change the direction of a franchise Day One. On the other, Romo is 36-years old and he’s an injury liability. It’s hard to envision a team giving up a first round selection for him.

But if there is a bidding war for Romo’s services this offseason, which their very likely will be as general managers and coaches scramble to save their jobs, the price for Romo will likely be higher than most expect.

So, in a best case scenario, let’s suppose a team like the Denver Broncos agrees to give up their late first round pick in 2017 for Romo (and possibly the Cowboys second or third rounder from that same draft). Dallas would then have two late first round picks as bargaining chips. But is that enough ammunition to trade all the way up to get Garrett, whom at this point seems to be at minimum a top three selection?

According to the Draft Trade Chart via Pro Football Talk, the answer is no. The top three selections in the draft are worth between 3,000 to 2,200 points. The 25th and 26th selections in the first round are only worth 1,420 points…combined! The value simply isn’t there. You’d likely have to throw in an additional pick or two, possible next year’s first round selection as well. Obviously, the chart is just a guide and not set in stone. But it seems unlikely regardless.

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So it appears the 9-1 Dallas Cowboys are not in the running for Garrett’s services next year, unless something significantly changes between now and next April. That’s even if Dallas does trade away Romo for a king’s ransom. The price for Garrett simply appears to be too high for Dallas.

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