The NFL trade rumor mill would not be complete without the Dallas Cowboys joining the party.
Anytime a big-time player requests a trade or is put on the trade market, the Cowboys are one of the first teams to have the best odds of acquiring said player.
As long as the Dallas Cowboys stay in the media’s spotlight, does it really matter if they trade for a big-time player? The answer is yes; it matters to the fans.
However, the Cowboys will always be associated with superstar players, and the latest superstar to request a trade is no different.
The odds show the Cowboys as players in the Myles Garrett sweepstakes.
Myles Garrett to Dallas Could Be a Reality
According to Chris Easterling of USA Today, the Dallas Cowboys have the best odds of acquiring Myles Garrett.
The Cowboys currently sit at 4/1 odds to acquire the superstar edge rusher from the Cleveland Browns.
Why would the Cowboys be the number one team, according to odds-makers, to acquire Garrett? The simple answer is that Myles Garrett is a Texas kid.
Myles Garrett grew up in Texas and attended Martin High School in Arlington, Texas, less than 11 miles from AT&T Stadium.
His mother is still a massive fan of the Dallas Cowboys, and the homecoming would be amazing.
He also pleaded for the Cowboys to trade Tony Romo and a few picks in 2017 to the Cleveland Browns to get the first pick in that draft.
This is a great feel-good story, but is the trade a possibility?
The Cowboys Can Make it Happen
The Dallas Cowboys are currently sitting in a bad situation when it comes to cap space.
According to spotrac.com, the Dallas Cowboys’ cap space, assuming the cap is raised to $275 million, would be at—$2,380,470. That’s terrible news for anyone who wants to trade for a superstar.
The thing about cap space is there are always areas to shave the cap hit by adjusting contracts.
Dak Prescott’s contract has void years, which helps the Cowboys get under the salary cap by moving some of his salary down the road a few years. CeeDee Lamb has the same type of contract.
Prescott’s four-year extension is worth $240 million and will keep him in Dallas until 2028. This contract has void years built-in, which can be used to create some space.
The contract’s void years are 2029-2032, meaning the Cowboys can push some of his salary to those years, freeing up space now.
CeeDee Lamb’s contract is built the same way with void years in 2029-2032.
If those contracts are pushed out into those void years, the Cowboys could theoretically create about $90 million in cap space this year.
If Micah Parsons gets an extension, his cap hit would also be significantly lower.
Parsons has also stated he would take less to get better players in Dallas. When speaking to Todd Archer, Parsons had this to say about his salary:
“It really just depends on the circumstances of who we’re trying to get. Who’s trying to return? To me it’s all about the foundation of the team. How can I create the best foundation and play with the guys who’ve helped me create a lot of success? Those guys helped me get to where I am. It’s all about the aggressiveness, how we look at free agency. You see a lot of times, the highest-paid player, and we see they don’t have weapons. I’d rather just be in the best situation. At that point, I don’t think there’s a big difference between $30 and $40 million.”
If Parsons is really true to his word and is okay with taking less money to build a better team, $10 million, along with Prescott and Lamb’s money pushed down the road, would clear about $100 million.
That would be plenty to get Myles Garrett to Dallas, sign a draft class, and bring in other free agents or re-sign their own free agents.
The Trade Compensation Might not be Terrible
Now that the money is out of the way, what would it take in terms of draft capital to get Myles Garrett to Dallas?
Myles Garrett is 29 years old, but getting older has not slowed him down. If we look back at the last superstar edge rusher to be traded, recent memory will lead to Khalil Mack.
This was a major trade, but Mack was two, almost three years younger than Garrett.
A second-round pick this year, along with our third and a first next year, may be enough to land Myles Garrett. He is unhappy in Cleveland, and his unhappiness could drive the price tag down.
Unless the Cleveland Browns are prepared to have Myles Garrett sit out when the season begins, they may take what they can get. These player demands seem to work in the NFL.
There will be competition.
Maybe the Dallas Cowboys can pull off a reverse Luka Dončić trade. If so, that may bring some joy back to Dallas area fans.
We are talking about the Jones family, so a trade for a superstar of this caliber may be out of the question.
Crazier things have happened in Dallas.