Myles Garrett trade return could mean everything for Cowboys and Micah Parsons

The NFL season might not be completely over yet with the Super Bowl still to be played, but the offseason has already begun for Myles Garrett, at the very least. The 29-year-old demanded a trade on Monday, putting the Cleveland Browns in a seemingly impossible spot. They don't want to trade the superstar defensive lineman, but if we're being honest, they don't have much of a choice.

With Garrett almost certain to have played his final down in Cleveland, all eyes now turn to what kind of return the Browns can get. Their leverage took a major hit thanks to Garrett's public demand, but given the fact that he might be the best defensive player in the sport, the Browns will still get a hefty return in a Garrett deal.

What the Browns end up getting could wind up playing a huge role in dictating Micah Parsons' future with the Dallas Cowboys.

Myles Garrett trade return could impact Micah Parsons' Cowboys future

A Garrett return would almost certainly start with at least one first-round pick, but it will be interesting to see what else the Browns can get. Can Cleveland land a second first-rounder? Can Cleveland land an impactful player? The Browns' return could determine what the Cowboys decide to do with Parsons, a player who is about to enter the final year of his deal.

Extending Parsons, a 25-year-old superstar, sounds like a no-brainer, and it might be, but the Cowboys must keep their cap situation in mind. They opted to pay both Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb major long-term money last offseason, and guys like Trevon Diggs and Terence Steele are on fairly hefty long-term extensions as well. The Cowboys can afford to extend Parsons, but that will only make their roster that much more top-heavy.

A core consisting of Prescott, Lamb, and Parsons has not been good enough to get to an NFC Championship Game, let alone a Super Bowl. Given that fact, is it worth keeping all three of these stars around on massive contracts? It will be even harder for Jerry Jones to build around that trio than it was when guys like Lamb and Parsons were on their rookie deals.

Garrett's return could wind up dictating if it's worth keeping Parsons around. Obviously, he's an excellent player, but what if the Browns receive a franchise-type haul? Given the fact that Parsons is four years younger than Garrett and has not demanded a trade, he would presumably net even more in a deal than Garrett would.

If the Cowboys can receive a franchise-altering haul for Parsons, it might be worth trading him. If the Browns' Garrett return is underwhelming, it probably won't be worth their while to do anything but extend him and try to win with him in the mix.

Cowboys fans should not only hope Garrett stays out of the NFC, but they should want the Browns to receive an incredible haul, knowing that Parsons, if he were to get dealt, would bring back more.