It was fun to dream of a Maxx Crosby trade while it lasted. The Dallas Cowboys did everything they could to acquire the five-time Pro Bowler, upping the ante three different times to seduce the Las Vegas Raiders, but they simply weren't willing to offer two first-round picks.
The Cowboys make a lot of questionable decisions, but they were right to show some restraint, as Crosby, while still really good, is on the decline. Very few non-quarterbacks are worth multiple firsts, and one just might be available at the right price out of absolutely nowhere.
On Wednesday evening, the Cleveland Browns and superstar edge rusher Myles Garrett agreed to modified language in his contract that gives the Browns cap flexibility in the future. It doesn't create a penny in cap space for 2026, which begs the question of why Cleveland would even touch his contract a year after signing him to a mega-extension.
According to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap, all it does is make Garrett more tradable, as it lessens Garrett's future dead cap hits.
"They [the Browns] already had the lowest cap charge possible for Garrett, outside of converting some per game bonuses to a signing bonus. All this does is give the team the maximum flexibility to trade Garrett assuming they were to get him to waive his no trade clause.”
The Dallas Cowboys should stop at nothing to trade for Browns DE Myles Garrett
Not only that, but it was the Browns who proposed a rule change that would allow draft picks to be traded up to five years into the future. Unless that is merely a coincidence, it's hard not to take that as Cleveland laying the groundwork to trade Garrett.
Current NFL rules permit teams to exchange draft selections up to three years into the future. The proposal needs to be approved by at least 24 of the league's 32 teams.
If Garrett is truly available, the Cowboys should already be on the phone with Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam and general manager Andrew Berry.
You might be thinking, 'Why would Dallas trade Micah Parsons for two first-round picks just to turn around and give up as many as three firsts for Garrett?' That's a fair question, but Garrett is arguably the best player in football, regardless of position.
Much like Aaron Donald, Garrett would win Defensive Player of the Year every season if the league weren't so determined to avoid repeat winners.
It's not a stretch to say that Garrett is already one of the best defensive ends in NFL history. He's currently tied for 20th on the all-time sack list at the age of 30. If he stays healthy, he'll crack the top 10 next season. He's been a first-team All-Pro in five of the last six years, and his 90 sacks since 2020 are 15 more than the next-closest player.
He's going to walk into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and he could be available in the middle of his prime.
Garrett would have to waive his no-trade clause to land in Dallas. However, he was born in Arlington and went to Texas A&M, so it’s safe to assume he’d be open to it.
The Cowboys were just a finalist for Maxx Crosby. They should be at the front of the line calling about Garrett. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.