The Dallas Cowboys missed out on Maxx Crosby but a new and potentially bigger opportunity may be heading their way.
Dallas made a strong effort to sign Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders. They offered a first-round and a second-round pick for the five-time Pro Bowler. However, the Raiders accepted a better deal from the Baltimore Ravens as they offered two first-round picks.
But the deal did not go through. The Ravens later cancelled it by saying that there were concerns about Crosby’s surgically repaired knee, although that claim has been disputed.
By then, the Cowboys had already moved on. They traded a fourth-round pick to the Green Bay Packers for outside linebacker Rashan Gary and made it clear they were not interested in going back for Crosby. It seemed like their search for a pass-rusher was over until something unexpected happened.
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Contract change sparks new speculation
On March 25, ESPN’s Field Yates reported that Cleveland Browns star edge-rusher Myles Garrett and the team quietly made changes to his contract. The update moved the option dates in his deal from late March to early September which caught the attention of salary cap analyst Jack Duffin from the Orange and Brown Report.
Duffin was very clear about what he thinks this means.
“Garrett wants out, seems like they are going to give it to him later in the offseason,” Duffin wrote on X. “No real reason to do it otherwise.”
Contract website Over The Cap also explained the changes and said the move was unusual.
“The Browns and star [edge]-rusher Myles Garrett have agreed to a modified contract where the two sides have agreed to push back the option dates in his contract from late March to early September,” OTC wrote.
“This is a pretty bizarre move on Garrett’s end as it defers the payment of salary each year to Garrett and really just opens up a trade window each year, except Garrett has a no-trade provision. It is hard to really tell what the logic is here from either side.”
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Why the Cowboys should be paying close attentions?
If Duffin is right then the Cowboys could be in a very strong position. Myles Garrett is coming off an incredible season. He set a new record with 23 sacks in 2025 and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year. A player of his level is rarely available and Dallas knows that.
Now question is the cost. Because of Garrett’s performance, the Browns would likely ask for a big return in draft picks. The Cowboys currently have two first-round picks this year, Number 12 and Number 20 which could be enough to make a deal happen because of their value.
If Dallas does not want to give up both picks then they could try another option. They might offer pick Number 12 and Number 92 in 2026 along with a first-round pick in 2027 and possibly one more asset, like a player or another pick to complete the deal.
It is still early and Garrett has a no-trade clause, so nothing can happen without his approval. But with a possible trade window opening and the Cowboys already looking for a pass-rusher this offseason, the situation is becoming very interesting.