If we are being honest, Cleveland Browns fans have a lot of reasons to be jealous of Dallas Cowboys fans. While the Cowboys haven’t won a Super Bowl since 1995, they have one a Super Bowl (whereas
the Browns championships were before that particular game existed). Even the down years in Dallas are A) few and far between and B) have never been worse than a single four-win season since 1965.
The Cowboys are also an overall mess, with owner Jerry Jones also the general manager of the team. The
Micah Parsons trade is just another example of having the wrong person in charge of making decisions. Dallas received less in return for the proven star pass rusher (who most believe is the second-best at his position) than Cleveland did for CB/WR
Travis Hunter.
There are obvious differences between Parsons and Hunter, including age and especially contracts, but failing to get more value for a young star player is impressively bad by Jones. Had the Cowboys put Parsons on the block earlier this offseason, when teams had cap space and this year’s draft picks settled into positions, it is likely Dallas would have received a larger package.
According to sources, the Browns had an eye on Parsons next offseason if he was hit with the franchise tag, provided the team felt good about their quarterback position. Cleveland’s offer to Dallas, again assuming either
Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders, or their top ‘26 first-round pick had secured their QB of the future, would have likely been better than what the Green Bay Packers gave up.
Giving up the lower of their two 2026 picks, a second-rounder in 2026, their first in 2027 and a little bit more would have likely gotten the deal done.
The Browns went through an issue with their star pass rusher, and who many consider the best at the position, this offseason as well. Unlike the Cowboys, Cleveland denied
Myles Garrett’s trade request and
paid him. At the time, Garrett’s $40 million annual salary reset the non-QB market. Since WR
Ja’Marr Chase, DE
TJ Watt and, now, Parsons have all topped that number.
Speaking to the media Thursday night, owner/GM Jones said something that caught the attention of many and is likely to lead to a ton of Dallas rumors:
#Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, ever the salesman, notes the team now has four first-round picks over the next two years and: "Nothing says we can’t use some of those picks right now to go get somebody right now.”
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero)
August 28, 2025
With the Cowboys dealing away a prime pass rusher, Garrett being from Texas and growing up a fan of the team and the Browns pass rusher getting paid an average of $7 million less a year, we can expect Cowboys trade rumors to include Garrett. That speculation was heard on multiple radio shows on Friday morning and around social media:
#Cowboys got a lot of picks and could use some immediate help on defense. And Jerry Jones could diss Micah Parsons by making Myles Garrett the top paid defensive player once again.
https://t.co/DP5jrgV1gQ
— Chris Malumphy (@DraftHistory)
August 29, 2025
If we fast-forward to the 2025 NFL trade deadline, would a Garrett to Dallas trade make sense?
Myles Garrett trade to Cowboys: For the Browns
When the November 4th NFL trade deadline rolls around, Cleveland will be in their bye week and will have faced:
- Bengals
- Ravens
- Packers (with Parsons)
- Lions
- Vikings (in London)
- Steelers (fresh off London trip with no bye week)
- Dolphins
- Patriots
While optimists might see three or four victories in that group, one or two is probably more likely.
At that point, Gabriel and/or Sanders will likely have started games, giving the franchise an idea of what their future will be with those two quarterbacks. If either gives the team confidence that they are the QB of the future, trading Garrett would make little sense.
The same would be true if the Browns start out that stretch with four or five victories.
Realistically, Cleveland starts out with a win or two and doesn’t feel confident in Gabriel or Sanders as their for sure starter for the future. At that point, trading the soon-to-be 30-year-old Garrett could make some sense. Unlike this offseason, the team would be in control of the narrative, have given the veterans on the roster a chance to make the 2025 season competitive and, potentially, have a lot of leverage in trade discussions.
Getting multiple first-round picks (or similar value) and not having to take back any significant contracts (Dallas acquired
Kenny Clark, who makes over $20 million the next two seasons, in the Parsons deal) could set the Browns up nicely in terms of draft capital.
A Garrett deal could also allow the team to go into full rebuild mode with veterans like
Joel Bitonio (likely to retire soon, send him out on a good note), TE
David Njoku (on the last year of his contract), OL
Wyatt Teller (you don’t build around high priced guards,
Zak Zinter is waiting in wings), OL
Jack Conklin (an injury waiting to happen) and CB
Denzel Ward (a top player at a highly valuable position) all likely to bring back value in deals.
Not trading Garrett this offseason made sense to give the roster a chance to compete this year. If the Browns are struggling by the trade deadline, a full reset (after a soft reset this offseason) could be the right move.
Myles Garrett trade to Cowboys: For Dallas
Unlike Cleveland, Jones could be interested in making this move no matter what the Cowboys record is at the trade deadline. Bringing Garrett home, adding the best, albeit older than Parsons, pass rusher in the NFL and not being on the hook for the highest paid defender in the league all seem to fit Jones’ MO at a GM and owner.
Jones is also 82 years old, has a very good quarterback in place (
Dak Prescott), two very good receiver (
Ceedee Lamb, George Pickens) and a penchant for big moves. Jones traded first-round picks in the past for WRs
Roy Williams and
Amari Cooper when few thought either was worth that much.
Putting Garrett in Parsons’ role while adding Clark to the middle of the defense could shore up Dallas’ defense against the run and pass while also putting Jones’ team back in the spotlight.
Expect the unexpected with Jones, but dealing for Garrett fits the bill for “America’s Team.”
Myles Garrett trade to Cowboys: What does the contract say?
Interestingly, one of the reasons the Browns didn’t trade Garrett this offseason was his contract. Before his extension, it was almost impossible to trade Garrett without cutting (not trading) Bitonio, Ward and Teller.
Now, with the extension, Garett is able to be traded this season with a very reasonable cost this year, but a significant one the following. The huge cap hit in 2026 wouldn’t be problematic if Cleveland decided to tear down and rebuild the roster by moving on from other veterans (through trade, release, contract expiration or retirement).
According to Over the Cap, trading Garrett after June 1st will cost the Browns just under $20 million in dead cap space while saving the team just over $2 million on the cap this year. No problem at all under the salary cap getting a deal done.
Where there is a potentially significant problem in trading Garrett comes in the form of a no-trade clause that was added in his extension this offseason. The star defender would have a choice whether he wanted to be traded and to where that would be. If Cleveland has one or two wins and no future quarterback on their roster, perhaps a deal home to Dallas is something he would approve but, as the post above suggests, would Garrett then ask for another reworked deal?
Myles Garrett trade to Cowboys: Possible, not likely
For the Browns to decide to trade Garrett, GM Andrew Berry and HC Kevin Stefanski would be admitting that a full teardown was coming. While the pair got an extension that kicks in this year,
neither can feel confident that they would get a chance to rebuild a roster over the next three to four seasons.
Much like Dallas has, Cleveland would also get roasted for dealing away a generational player, even if he is a few years older than Parsons. Those types of players just do not come along very often, which changes the “value” conversation in a trade:
Scarcity > Value
You can't put a price tag on the opportunity to roster a top-10 most valuable player in the sport, because it's not commonly an option
It's not an "overpay" when you are acquiring something that cannot otherwise be paid for. There is no comparable alternative
— Jakob Sanderson (@JakobSanderson)
August 28, 2025
The Browns would also have to get Garrett’s approval, get the Cowboys to pay a huge ransom and hope not to alienate the rest of the fan base (those who haven’t already left due to
Deshaun Watson’s arrival, the departure of
Baker Mayfield and
Nick Chubb and the consistent losing and drama).
For Dallas, trading for a player over the age of 30 only makes sense if A) the deal is cheap and B) the Cowboys are true contenders. The problem is C) Jerry Jones is not always logical. Giving up similar assets that they received for Parsons to acquire a player nearly four years older is what some would call “hustling backwards.”
For Garrett, returning home, being celebrated as a player who wants to be there and going to a team that has a quarterback would all be reasons to accept the deal. If Jones is willing to give him another bump in pay would just be icing on the $40 million cake he’s getting yearly. Given the lore of the Cowboys, Garrett’s public stock would also rise substantially with a deal.
As the season gets rolling, if the Browns are losing most of their games and Jones hasn’t made a big trade yet, expect the Garrett to the Cowboys trade rumors to heat up, no matter how unlikely a deal might be.
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