The Dallas Cowboys have done something rare this season. They made everyone in Texas believe for approximately 12 minutes that a blockbuster was happening, then quietly resumed their regularly scheduled optimism.

Jerry Jones says the Cowboys will act if a move “fits” the franchise, which in Jerry-speak means three carousel horses, two draft picks, and a willingness to call literally anyone at 2 a.m. about edge rushers.

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The team’s front office claims newfound flexibility, cap room and extra draft capital after the Micah Parsons departure, so they’re in a position to shop in the trade aisle with a wallet that doesn’t scream “IOU”.

Maxx Crosby was floated as the fantasy-trade-that-would-make-everyone-lose-their-minds, a rumor that lit up timelines and group chats before being stomped like a playoff-seeding dream. The Raiders reportedly aren’t shopping Crosby, and the early Crosby-to-Dallas whispering was swiftly cooled.

Adam Schefter and other insiders confirmed Dallas is at least having conversations about beefing up the defense, which is journalistically equivalent to “the team is thinking about thinking about trading,” but still exciting.

Who actually makes sense and why?

• Logan Wilson: A cerebral, tackling machine who could arrive and immediately stop any running backs who thought they were photoshopped into a highlight reel. Bengals chatter suggests he might be available and would fit Dallas’ need for linebacker leadership.

• Alontae Taylor: A young cornerback who can play slot or outside, useful if Dallas wants to patch holes without mortgaging the future.

Both profiles fit a Cowboys mentality that prefers smart, buy-now pieces who won’t cause immediate cap-induced panic at halftime.

Picture it. Jerry on the phone, sunglasses on indoors, negotiating for an edge rusher while two PR people simultaneously release contradictory press kits.

The Cowboys send a package of picks and a player whose name the general public only remembers when fantasy apps crash. The trade is announced, Cowboys fans immediately start designing custom helmets, and rival fans hold a minute of silence for their fantasy teams.

Dallas isn’t likely to swing for untradeable stars who require convincing and a postcard apology to their current team. They’ll look for players who move the needle without blowing the bank or the draft cupboard.

Expect smaller, smart upgrades that make the defense less “creative suggestion” and more “actual plan,” because Jerry’s line about moves needing to fit is both a warning and a promise.

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If they pull it off, the stadium will flood with merch designs and a thousand variations of the phrase “Cowboys 2.0.”

If they don’t, social media will spend a week inventing trades that were never even whispered. Either way, the Cowboys have given their fans something essential. Hope, which is precisely what franchise owners sell alongside season tickets.

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As always, take care of yourself, love one another, don’t let the demons inside win, and make someone smile.