Yes, you read the headline right. The door is now open for the Dallas Cowboys to trade for star edge rusher Myles Garrett, even though he signed a four-year extension last year.

That’s because the Cleveland Browns made a crucial modification to Garrett’s deal, and it’s one that makes him a prime trade candidate. According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Browns pushed back the due date for Garrett’s option bonuses. It was originally due on Wednesday, but it “has been pushed back to seven days before the regular season each year.”

In practical terms, the move defers payment for Garrett and nothing more. Thus, it’s only fair to assume Cleveland is keeping the door open for a trade. Keep in mind, Garrett had to agree to the modified deal.

“All this does is give the team the maximum flexibility to trade Garrett assuming they were to get him to waive a his no trade clause,” Jason Fitzgerald from Over the Cap writes.

Could the Cowboys be in on Garrett?

We won’t know until we know, but I’ll go out on a limb and say yes. And not only that, but they’re uniquely positioned to make a deal happen (more on that later).

First, on their possible intentions: If we had not learned about the Cowboys’ offers for Maxx Crosby, I would be pessimistic on their chances to even want to pursue Garrett. Earlier in the month, however, the Cowboys offered as much as this year’s No. 12 overall pick and a 2027 second-round pick.

At other points of the negotiation, they also offered DT Osa Odighizuwa—who was ultimately traded to the San Francisco 49ers.

If they were in on Crosby, why not on Garrett? He is a better player than Crosby, albeit slightly older. Adding him would immediately change thew face of the Cowboys defense. Like Micah Parsons before him, he could be the key to mask the many issues the Dallas defense could have.

What would it take to land Garrett, though? I reached out to our own Brandon Little from A to Z Sports Cleveland before coming up with a mock trade proposal.

Browns need a big-time haul

Little: “The door very much looks to be open for the Browns to trade Myles Garrett now and it’s an interesting development considering both finds came to a resolution last year when he requested to be moved.

“With the Browns pushing back the bonus date, Cleveland is clearly looking to at least think about trading its star pass rusher. When you pair this with the fact that the Browns are trying to get a rule change to where draft picks can be traded five years in advance, the breadcrumbs are adding up. 

“Dallas traded Micah Parsons for two first-round picks and a good player fits what the Browns could be looking for in a trade. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Browns wanted an offensive player back plus a pair of first-round picks. Cleveland may even be asking for additional later draft compensation on top of that. The Browns don’t have to trade Garrett, he’s under contract through the 2030 season, and the team has already shown they’ll ride out a trade request. 

“If Cleveland moves Garrett, it’s going to be for a haul they truly believe is going to speed up their rebuild and help them get back to the playoffs in the not-too-distant future for the first time since 2023. Garrett is the biggest sports star in Cleveland since LeBron James and it’d be a major move for the franchise. But the door is very much open if a team wants to make a move for a player at the top of his game coming off a 23 sack season.”

Cowboys’ unique mock offer

• Cowboys get: EDGE Myles Garrett
• Browns get: 2026 first-round pick (No. 12 overall), 2026 first-round pick (No. 20 overall)

Little says two first-round picks and a player. That may be too much for the Cowboys as they don’t really have a player that’s easy to trade. That was Odighizuwa and he’s gone for that very reason. But I don’t think they’d need to include a player on a deal for Garrett.

That’s because they have two first-round picks in the Top 20. And in a year in which many question the class of draft prospects, it’s the perfect chance to go all in. Sure, the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets also have two first-round picks but it’s unlikely Garrett would green light such a move.

In other words, the Cowboys are the only team who can realistically offer the Browns a chance to have four first-round picks in this year’s draft. Why not bust the budget in the best defender in the league?

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