The Dallas Cowboys stood pat on June 1, a date that often sees plenty of activity due to salary cap implications.

The NFL, however, was buzzing with blockbuster transactions, and several of them carry significant implications for Dallas heading into the 2026 season. From the Myles Garrett trade to A.J. Brown and more, here’s how each move impacts the Cowboys and their path to the NFC East crown. Let’s dive in.

Myles Garrett to the Rams makes life harder

The Cleveland Browns traded Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams, and there are two ways Cowboys fans should process this.

The first is frustration. For months, Garrett looked like a trade candidate. The moment the Browns pushed back his option money earlier in the year, it was evident they were open to moving him. So why didn’t Dallas pull the trigger? Firstly, it’s just not how the Cowboys operate.

But to be fair, I do think the package Cleveland received, which included standout young edge rusher Jared Verse, is something the Cowboys realistically couldn’t match. That’s partially because they don’t have a Verse equivalent (a standout pass rusher two years into his rookie deal) on their roster. That piece set the Rams apart.

The second way to look at it is far more painful. The Cowboys face the Rams in December, and good luck blocking Myles Garrett with an offensive tackle room featuring Tyler Guyton and Terrence Steele. I’ve seen people on social media point to Guyton’s debut against Garrett as evidence he can handle him. I’d recommend going back and watching the film, because I’m not sure that’s what happened.

Mike McCarthy came up with a solid game plan to limit Garrett’s impact, but I cannot honestly say Guyton was holding his own against Garrett one-on-one. If Dallas makes the postseason, a potential matchup with the Rams looms as well. Not fun. Not a favorable trade for the Cowboys.

AJ Brown out of Philly is a massive win

The Philadelphia Eagles traded wide receiver AJ Brown to the New England Patriots, and conversely, this one should have Cowboys fans feeling good.

Brown is out of the division, meaning Dallas no longer faces him twice a year. More importantly, this could seriously damage the Eagles offense. In the Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni era, Philly’s offense has been at its best when it can lean on two things: a dominant run game behind one of the best offensive lines in football, and the ability to win outside the numbers in man coverage when defenses load the box.

AJ Brown was a monster in those one-on-one situations, consistently bailing out quarterback Jalen Hurts with contested catches and big plays on the boundary.

Yes, the Eagles prepared for this. They brought in Makai Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks, and others. But if I’m being honest, they’re not replacing AJ Brown. They’re taking the Jason Giambi approach from Moneyball, trying to “recreate him in the aggregate.” I don’t think that works in this situation. You can’t just replace a player like Brown, especially in this context.

The compensation doesn’t help Philadelphia either. A 2028 first-round pick and a fifth-rounder? The rule of thumb is you push a future pick’s value back roughly one round for each year out. A 2028 first basically carries second-round value today. The Eagles won’t benefit from this deal for two years.

It’s clear this trade happened because of the locker room issues between Brown and Hurts. We’ve known about the tension for years. Now we’re seeing the results. There’s a real chance this move impacts the Eagles offense in a significant negative way, and for the Cowboys hoping to win the division, that’s a massive win.

Giants wide receiver signings hint at a Malik Nabers problem

New York signed Odell Beckham Jr., Braxton Berrios, and JuJu Smith-Schuster on the same day. I know what you’re thinking. OBJ in 2026 is causing concern? He didn’t play last season, sat as a free agent, and took on a six-game PED suspension. The last time Beckham was truly “OBJ” was probably the first six years of his career.

The reason this matters isn’t about Beckham himself. The Giants signing three wide receivers in a single day ahead of mandatory minicamp suggests to me that Malik Nabers is not going to be ready for Week 1, when the Cowboys take on New York at MetLife Stadium.

Nabers is one of the best players on the Giants roster, and the team going all-in at wide receiver suggests they’re not confident at all in his availability. Giants head coach John Harbaugh admitted recently that “it’s not a simple” knee injury.

Some people believe the Giants could surprise and hover around the eight-win mark with a little variance. Without a healthy Nabers, I don’t see that happening.