FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys aren’t just licking their wounds after a disappointing 2025 campaign; they are looking for a tourniquet. After shipping off Micah Parsons to Green Bay prior to last season, the Cowboys’ pass rush vanished, leaving the defense exposed and the fanbase irate. But if ESPN’s Domonique Foxworth had the keys to Jerry Jones’ office, the fix wouldn’t be subtle. It would be an earth-shattering double-dip for two of the NFL’s most feared sack artists: Myles Garrett and Trey Hendrickson.
The “Dream” Scenario: Garrett AND Hendrickson to Dallas?
Foxworth didn’t mince words on ESPN’s Get Up. With the Cowboys desperate to re-establish the fear factor they lost with Parsons, the analyst proposed a swing-for-the-fences strategy that involves restructuring Dak Prescott’s massive contract to create space, then aggressively targeting the AFC North’s premier edge rushers.
“They should restructure Dak’s deal to free up some cap room. Then, go after Trey Hendrickson and collect as many picks as possible and players. Trade them to get Myles Garrett,” Foxworth declared. “You want to fix your defense overnight, bring in those two game breakers and put them at both sides of the line.”
The logic is simple: Dallas acquired Quinnen Williams from the Jets during the 2025 season, but the interior pressure hasn’t been enough. Pairing Williams with Garrett (the reigning Defensive Player of the Year) and Hendrickson would instantly give Dallas the most terrifying defensive front since the “Doomsday Defense.”
“I think it makes everybody on your defense a lot better,” Foxworth added. “It takes pressure off of your offense. I think this team becomes one of those kind of overnight Super Bowl contenders.”
The Raiders Connection: Pickens for Crosby?
While Foxworth was busy constructing a fantasy defensive line, his colleague Jason McCourty offered a different path to salvation—one that involves sacrificing a key offensive piece. McCourty suggests the Cowboys should flip wide receiver George Pickens, who is currently staring down the barrel of a franchise tag, to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for Maxx Crosby.
Pickens had a monster debut season in Dallas after arriving from Pittsburgh, racking up 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. However, with no long-term deal in place, he becomes a prime trade chip.
“If I’m the Raiders, why not go out and trade Maxx Crosby?” McCourty argued. “For the Cowboys… You trade [Pickens] to the Raiders for Crosby in exchange. Now you’ve just beefed up your defensive line.”
“You need some weapons on the outside. Well, you got a dog out there [in Pickens]. That’s George Pickens, [for] Fernando Mendoza.”
— Jason McCourty, ESPN Analyst
Playoff Implications / What’s Next
The Raiders hold the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming 2026 Draft and are widely expected to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the 2025 Heisman winner. Pairing a rookie QB with a weapon like Pickens makes verifiable football sense. For Dallas, acquiring Crosby would fill the Parsons-sized hole on the edge without gutting their draft capital entirely.
Jerry Jones has never been afraid of the splashy move. With the NFC East arms race heating up, standing pat isn’t an option. Whether it’s the “dream” scenario of Garrett and Hendrickson or the “jugular” move for Crosby, expect the Cowboys to own the headlines this offseason.
