gs. NFC, Watch Out! Just “1 CALL” and the Cowboys Could Own the “GIANT” — A $26 Million Contract Turns Round One Into an Arsenal.

DALLAS — The Dallas Cowboys are teetering on the edge of irrelevance in the NFC East, but don’t tell that to the rumor mill. With a high-octane offense that could light up scoreboards in a phone booth and a defense that’s about as sturdy as a house of cards, America’s Team is staring down a familiar script: elite talent up front, but a black hole on the back end. They’re “one player away” from contention — and that player might just be a towering 6-foot-5 “GIANT” from the New York Jets who’s suddenly on the trade block.

Imagine this: One phone call from Cowboys exec Will McClay to Jets GM Joe Douglas. A mid-round Day 2 pick changes hands. And poof — Dallas inherits Jermaine Johnson II, a former first-round pick whose $26 million commitment over the next two seasons (his final rookie year plus a team-option fifth-year extension) transforms a ho-hum draft asset into a full-blown pass-rush arsenal. No, it’s not the splashy Maxx Crosby blockbuster everyone’s drooling over. It’s smarter, cheaper, and potentially just as devastating. NFC, you better watch out.

The Parsons Paradox: How Dallas Got Two First-Round Picks and Still Feels Empty-Handed

Let’s rewind the tape on the summer that broke Cowboys Nation’s heart. On August 28, 2025 — just days before the season opener — Micah Parsons, the franchise cornerstone and future Hall of Famer, was shockingly shipped to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for two first-round picks (2026 and 2027, both top-10 protected). Parsons inked a jaw-dropping four-year, $186 million extension with Green Bay the same day, complete with $130 million guaranteed. It’s the kind of deal that makes you wonder: What if Dallas had just ponied up after his monster 2024?

The “why” is still baffling. Jerry Jones and Co. had ample opportunity post-2023 to lock in their homegrown superstar, who racked up 14 sacks and 90 pressures last year alone. Instead, they gambled on the franchise tag drama and lost big. Now, those two first-rounders are dangling like carrots in trade talks, fueling whispers of a reunion tour with Raiders stud Maxx Crosby ($35.5 million AAV on his fresh three-year extension) or Bengals beast Trey Hendrickson (fresh off a $30 million pay bump for 2025).

But here’s the silver lining in that gut-wrenching deal: Those picks give Dallas ammo to reload without mortgaging the future. Go all-in for Crosby? Sure, but it’d likely cost both firsts plus a Day 2’er and an extension north of $100 million. Hendrickson? One first, maybe, but pair it with a pricey restructure, and you’re talking $40 million committed in Year 1. It’s doable, but it’s desperate.

Enter the “1 CALL” scenario: Jermaine Johnson II. For the price of a second- or third-rounder (per Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon), Dallas flips a mid-round flier into an immediate edge-rush upgrade. That Day 2 pick? Suddenly, it’s the key that unlocks an “arsenal” — pairing Johnson with holdovers like DeMarcus Lawrence and rising star Marshawn Kneeland, while preserving those precious first-rounders for offensive line help or a cornerback stud in 2026. It’s not sexy, but it’s surgical.

Buyer Beware? Johnson’s 2024 Nightmare and 2025 Redemption Arc

Any trade pitch for Johnson comes with a neon “Buyer Beware” sign — and for good reason. The 26-year-old Florida State product, selected No. 26 overall by the Jets in 2022, looked like a cornerstone after a promising rookie year (3.5 sacks) and a breakout 2023 (7 sacks, 16 TFLs). But 2024? Disaster. A torn Achilles in Week 3 sidelined him for 15 games, turning a potential double-digit sack season into a rehab odyssey.

Fast-forward to 2025, and Johnson’s bounced back like a man possessed. Through eight games, he’s notched 7.5 sacks and 25 quarterback pressures, terrorizing backfields with his explosive first step and non-stop motor. His PFF grade? A blistering 89.2 as a pass rusher, tops among Jets defenders. At 268 pounds with 35-inch arms, he’s the prototypical “GIANT” — a lengthier, more physical version of Parsons with room to grow.

Contract-wise, it’s a steal. Johnson’s in the final year of his four-year, $13.1 million rookie deal, with a fifth-year option clocking in at $13.411 million for 2026. Dallas absorbs roughly $1.8 million in base salary for the rest of 2025 and that full option next year — totaling about $26 million in committed cash over two seasons. For context, that’s less than what middling vets like Yannick Ngakoue command on one-year prove-it deals. No massive extension needed upfront; just plug him in and let him feast.

Jets Fire Sale: 1-7 and Counting, Johnson’s Next on the Block

The timing couldn’t be riper. The Jets, under first-year head coach Aaron Glenn, are a dumpster fire at 1-7, their playoff dreams evaporated faster than Aaron Rodgers’ deep-ball accuracy. On Wednesday, October 29 — deadline eve — they kicked off the inevitable sell-off by shipping starting slot corner Michael Carter II to the Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles for a 2026 fourth-rounder and a swap of late picks. It’s the first domino, and Johnson’s teetering right behind it.

With Will McDonald IV locked in on a cost-controlled rookie deal through 2027, the Jets have zero incentive to retain Johnson at his fifth-year price tag. They’re rebuilding around a quarterback carousel (Zach Wilson? A rookie? Who knows), and offloading a $13 million edge for a Day 2 pick clears cap space and jump-starts the reset. Glenn’s already on the hot seat; why not flip assets for futures?

For Dallas, it’s a no-brainer. Their defense ranks dead last in sacks (12) and 28th in points allowed (27.4 per game), a far cry from the shutdown unit that carried them to the NFC Championship in 2022. CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott can only do so much when quarterbacks have all day to pick apart that secondary. Johnson slots in as a rotational beast opposite Lawrence, spelling DeMarcus Ware-era pressure while mentoring the young guns. And at 26? He’s got prime years ahead, not a rental like some deadline Band-Aids.

One Call Away from NFC Domination

Picture the post-trade presser: Jones, grinning ear-to-ear, touting “value” and “contention.” Johnson, in his first Cowboys huddle, channeling that Seminole swagger into a Dallas star. Suddenly, those two first-round picks from the Parsons heist aren’t just consolation prizes — they’re the foundation of a reloaded roster. Draft a tackle with one, a safety with the other, and you’ve turned tragedy into a dynasty blueprint.

The NFC East is a bloodbath: Eagles flying high, Commanders scrappy, Giants… well, being the Giants. But one “1 CALL” changes everything. Johnson isn’t Parsons 2.0, but at a $26 million clip, he’s the “GIANT” upgrade that turns a middling defense into a wrecking crew. The Cowboys aren’t just buying time — they’re buying contention.

Will McClay, your phone’s ringing. Answer it. The arsenal awaits.