The Dallas Cowboys weren't just players in the Maxx Crosby trade sweepstakes. They finished as runners-up due to their unwillingness to part with multiple first-round picks.
It was a commendable display of restraint by the front office, as Crosby, while still a great player, is about to turn 29 and has a lengthy list of surgeries.
When it comes to Myles Garrett, who is now more tradable after he and the Cleveland Browns agreed to modified language in his four-year, $160 million contract, the Cowboys shouldn't think twice about offering multiple firsts. He's the best defensive player in the NFL, and one of the most decorated edge defenders of the last 15 years.
That doesn't mean Dallas should throw caution to the wind and acquire Garrett by any means necessary. He's going to cost an arm and a leg, but the haul must be reasonable.
Browns expert Ryan O'Leary of Dawg Pound Daily floated a potential Cowboys package for Garrett, and he had Dallas giving up a little too much for our liking. Take a look:
The Dallas Cowboys should go all-in for Myles Garrett, but in a responsible manner
"This move would reunite Pickens with Monken, who was his offensive coordinator at Georgia from 2020-21. The Browns are unsettled at the quarterback position, but after passing on the top wide receivers in free agency, no team could offer Pickens more targets in 2026 than Cleveland.
Tight end Harold Fannin Jr. led all Browns receivers in targets, receptions, yards, and touchdowns last year as a third-round rookie," O'Leary wrote.
For starters, the Cowboys would do well to keep both 2026 first-round picks, even if it means not having a first-rounder in 2027. The prospect of acquiring Garrett while adding two additional starters via the draft is very enticing, assuming the trade is made before next month's draft.
However, including George Pickens is too steep a price to justify. Even if O’Leary’s proposal pushes the trade to 2027, that stance wouldn’t change.
Dallas may consider moving Pickens if it means getting Garrett, but they are also in a position of power with Pickens after they placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on him, giving them the right to match any offer sheet or receive two first-round picks as compensation.
The Browns badly need an alpha wide receiver, but finding a franchise quarterback remains the bigger issue after cycling through Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders last season. Does Cleveland remember how Pickens behaved the last time he didn't have QB stability?
Being peppered with targets is one thing. That wasn't a problem in Pittsburgh. He received 294 targets in three years, averaging out to 98 per season. The problem was that Pickens couldn't maximize his targets due to erratic quarterback play.
Pickens would face the same issue in Cleveland, assuming they don't find a franchise QB between now and the start of next season. This could turn out a lot like the infamous Odell Beckham Jr. trade.
Regardless, two first-rounders, a third-rounder, AND a top-10 receiver is too steep, even for Garrett. There has to be a way to get Garrett without having to give up Pickens.
Three first-round picks should get the job done. If the Browns want a third, so be it. Pickens doesn’t need to be part of the deal.