The Dallas Cowboys might not be done exploring options to upgrade their pass rush for the 2026 season. They reportedly backed out of a potential deal for Maxx Crosby, but that doesn’t necessarily mean their search is over. He is already among the league’s elite, but if there’s even a slight chance to land Myles Garrett, it’s a different conversation altogether. Garrett isn’t just one of the best right now; he’s often viewed as the gold standard at the position, which also means landing him would not come cheap for Jerry Jones.

“You know y’all are going to have to give up George Pickens, right?” Shannon Sharpe said while discussing Jerry Jones’ potential move for Myles Garrett. He then doubled down, adding, “You’re going to probably want two picks on Pickens.”

At the moment, Cleveland hasn’t shown any signs of trading Garrett, which complicates things a bit. There’s no set price for him yet. But if we look at how hard the Cowboys went after Crosby, we can get a sense of what might happen.

ESPN reported that the Cowboys made three different offers to try to get Crosby before it fell apart.

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One version included a 2026 first-round pick along with Osa Odighizuwa before Dallas reworked the package. Next, they tried again with a better 2026 first-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick. However, the Raiders stood their ground, insisting they wanted two first-round picks.

In their last attempt, Dallas proposed a 2026 first-round pick along with a 2027 second-round pick, but that was rejected, too. Given that Crosby was valued so highly, it’s clear why a deal for Garrett would likely cost even more for Jerry Jones.

Then, George Pickens’ situation also made things complicated for Jerry Jones. He gave the Cowboys exactly what they wanted, racking up 1,429 receiving yards and 93 catches in 2025. That kind of performance puts him in the top tier of the league, but it also makes his future in Dallas a bit tricky.

Right now, the Cowboys have locked Pickens in with the franchise tag for 2026, worth around $27 million. While that secures him for a year, it does not solve the long-term question. Moreover, the non-exclusive tag allows him to talk to other teams, which adds another layer of uncertainty.

However, any team trying to sign him would have to give up two first-round picks, which limits serious suitors. Shannon Sharpe suggested that Jones might consider using Pickens as a bargaining tool for Garrett, but that seems unlikely.

If the Cowboys really want Garrett, Jerry Jones is going to have to pay a hefty price, but the Browns’ recent move could make things easier for Dallas.

The Cleveland Browns’ recent move intensifies Myles Garrett’s exit

While the buzz around Myles Garrett keeps growing, the Cleveland Browns have already made a subtle but significant move. They pushed his option bonus deadlines from late March to just before the regular season over the next three years.

At first glance, it doesn’t create any extra cap space for 2026. But it definitely gives the Dawg Pound more power and options for the future. Jason Fitzgerald from Over the Cap shared why this matters.

“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.”

Right now, nothing is set in stone, but things are starting to open up a bit. From Cleveland’s perspective, trading Garrett seems a lot easier now than it did before.

“If Garrett had his option picked up today (or they had to restructure his contract to get the low cap charge he currently has), the cost to trade him on the cap would have been $70.3M on a trade during the draft and $21.4M for 2026 and $48.69M in 2027 if traded in the summer,” Fitzgerald wrote.

“The acquiring team would only be responsible for $2.3 to $3.3 million in salary for the year. With the delay, the cost to trade during the draft is $41.1M, and the cost in the summer would be $15.34M in 2026 and $25.6M in 2027. The acquiring team would be on the hook for $31.5 to $32.5M in salary, and the Browns owe nothing. A similar situation exists next year, where, with the delay, the trade cost is $48.9M during the draft and a $17.8/$31.1M split between 2027 and 2028 if traded in the summer.”

The Browns have also proposed a rule to allow teams to trade draft picks up to five years ahead instead of three. It still needs approval, but the timing feels hard to ignore. Cleveland is looking for flexibility, while America’s Team continues its search for a top edge rusher. So, this could be the opportunity Jerry Jones has been waiting for.