All Trades! 'Win now' Cowboys retool with Garrett, vets in 7-rd mock draft

What does "win now" actually look like, in it's purest form? NFL fans scoffed at the way the Los Angeles Rams and their GM Les Snead disregarded their draft picks year after year after year, claiming that once the championship window closed on them, they'd be in purgatory for years to come. Yet, thanks to the elite coaching of Sean McVay, Snead and the Rams were able to quickly bounce back and return to the championship picture.

After winning it all in 2021, the Rams spent all of one year in roster hell, going 5-12 in 2022, and they've climbed back up the ladder to contention each year since. In 2023 they lost in the wild-card round. In 2024 they lost in the divisional round. 2025 saw them fall in the conference championship. Dallas Cowboys fans must be jealous. As a team that follows the trend instead of sets it, what if Jerry Jones and company adopted the Rams' strategy and expanded on their recent trade-ful ways and sent almost all of their picks away to bring back veterans?

In this iteration of a 7-round mock draft, we do just that. Using trade targets and minimum compensation that have been identified elsewhere, we look at what kind of haul the Cowboys could bring in if they were willing to send away their top draft choices in return for tradable veterans.

12 + 20 + 2027 3rd for Edge Myles Garrett (Browns)

Sep 8, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) talks to Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons (11) after the game at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Browns made it a lot more palatable to their front office to trade Garrett when they restructured his deal to delay his bonus money until closer to the season. This means the acquiring team will absorb all of the cash and cap hits that a premiere player like Garrett commands.

Fox Sports' Ralph Vacchio suggested the Eagles could acquire Garrett for the No. 23 pick, and next year's first and third. This would seem to be a much more attractive offer to Cleveland.

The Cowboys would be absorbing Garrett's current contract, which will pay him $32.5 million in 2026 cash with a $9.1 million cap hit, and pay him $42.7 million in 2027 cash with a $16 million cap hit.

Adding Garrett at the head of the table suddenly transforms the Cowboys to the best defensive front in the league. He and Quinnen Williams become the best inside-out tandem in the NFL, supported by Kenny Clark, Rashan Gary, Donovan Ezeiruaku and James Houston, along with the rest of the reinvented depth.

92 + 2027 6th for LB Jordyn Brooks (Dolphins)

Sep 8, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks (20) runs onto the field before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Cowboys are now solidified with their pass rush and run stopping prowess, but they need someone to direct it all from the middle linebacker position. The Miami Dolphins fire sale is almost complete, but they still have Brooks, who made the All-Pro team in 2025. With just one final season remaining on his deal, he's ripe for a trade.

Brooks is seen to have mid-third-round value by most outlets, so the Cowboys' selection of No. 92 (via trading Osa Odighizuwa to the 49ers) may not be enough. Sweetening things with one of their 2027 sixth-round picks might help.

Brooks becomes Christian Parker's red dot, sitting next to a finally-able-to-have-a-full-offseason DeMarvion Overshown. This defensive front is now elite, and light years ahead of what they trotted out in 2025.

Brooks is a rental, and unlike George Pickens, he can't be franchise tagged because the NFL's dumb rule where 3-4 OLBs are part of the calculation in the tender number. The Cowboys would have to negotiate an extension with Brooks, set to make $8.3 million this year that would all land on the cap at the time of acquisition.

114 + 180 for CB Marlon Humphrey (Ravens)

Dec 27, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) reacts after intercepting a pass during the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images

The Cowboys have worked around the edges to fix their cornerback depth, adding Cobie Durant from the Rams, and the veteran is very likely to compete for a starting spot. But what if neither DaRon Bland or Shevon Revel is ready to assume a spot in the starting lineup? What if neither of them looks like a long-term fit because of their press-man proclivities, and the more zone-oriented scheme of Christian Parker doesn't want to put up with not playing his preferred style for players with injury concerns?

Humphrey, who Vacchio seems to believe could be acquired for a fourth and some change, would be a perfect fit. He has way more zone ability than either Bland or Revel, and he can shift down into the slot of those players surprise during training camp. He Humphrey will be 30 before the season starts, but comes with two First-Team All-Pro designations, with one as recently as 2024, where he spent over 660 of 1,000 defensive snaps in a nickel role.

Humphrey is in the final year of his deal in 2026, set to make $15.25 million. He has three void years attached, and a simple extension adding a year at similar pay and two more voids could make him just a $4 million blip on the team's 2026 cap space.

2

152 for Slot CB Kenny Moore (Colts)

Feb 5, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; Kenny Moore II on the NFL Honors Red Carpet before Super Bowl LX at Palace of Fine Arts. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Why stop there? The Colts have let it be known that Moore is available for trade, and the 30-year old would seem to align with what the Cowboys are looking for at the nickel corner position.

Moore will cost a cool $10 million against the cap for his one remaining season.

The Cowboys' secondary is now: Humphrey-Bland-Revel-Durant-Moore-Kendrick at corner and Jalen Thompson/PJ Locke/Malik Hooker at safety.

They're playing behind Garrett-Williams-Clark-Gary-Ezeiruaku-Brooks-Overshown.

That's not a defense good enough to pair with their current offense to be contenders? If not, fire the coaching staff.

5.177 LB Harold Perkins, LSU

For good measure.

7.212 QB Taylen Green, Arkansas

For gooder measures.

Salary Cap Impact and Recap

All in all, these trades would mean the Cowboys are absorbing around $31 million in additional cap hits, though they no longer have to account for the cap hits of their draft class, as they are going to be of minimal impact. Late-round picks essentially just take the place of the lowest-paid players already under contract when it comes to cap calculations.

Dallas currently has around $14 million of remaining cap space according to Over The Cap. They could easily free up another $14 million by changing Quinnen Williams' base salary into a restructure bonus, but would still need another $3 million plus wiggle room for in-season signings. They'd still need to carve out savings of around $10 million.

Perhaps Moore, in this scenario paired with Humphrey, isn't something they could swing without addressing the Pickens' cap hold via the franchise tag. The team could also reduce their future flexibility by restructuring the deals of Bland, Clark, K Brandon Aubrey, or TE Jake Ferguson.

This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys trade for Garrett, Brooks, CBs in all-vet, 7-round mock draft