Defensive end Maxx Crosby #98 of the Las Vegas Raiders is being monitored by the Dallas Cowboys for a trade.
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Defensive end Maxx Crosby #98 of the Las Vegas Raiders is being monitored by the Dallas Cowboys for a trade.
If there is a piece of business on which the entire NFL–and the Dallas Cowboys in particular–currently hinges, it is the potential for a trade involving star pass-rusher Maxx Crosby. the five-time Pro Bowler who has vowed to be a Raider for life, except that the Raiders are now on their sixth coach of his seven-year career, have played in one postseason game in that span and are entering yet another iteration of a rebuild.
So Crosby is open to leaving Las Vegas, and the Cowboys–badly in need of a pass-rusher themselves–have a stated interest. No wonder. Crosby managed 10.0 sacks in 14 games last season, and 7.5 in 2024, despite being dinged up with a knee problem last year and an ankle two years ago. He had 14.5 sacks in 2023, when he played all 17 games and led the NFL with 23 tackles for a loss.
In fact, the interest in Dallas was so high that, according to longtime analyst Trey Wingo, the Cowboys on Wednesday “thought they were close to a deal but since then other teams have raised the ante and potentially are offering the Raiders 2 1st round picks.”
Cowboys Using Maxx Crosby Smokescreen?
Now, Wingo suggested that in the wake of the Raiders upping the ante on a Crosby deal, the Cowboys were prepared to bow out and instead pursue Trey Hendrickson of the Bengals in free agency.
That sounds both logical on one hand, and very much like a smokescreen on the other–if the Cowboys want to make the Raiders think they’ll walk away from a Crosby trade, then Hendrickson is a perfect way to force the issue. And, indeed, he is not a bad fallback option, despite being 31 years old and clearly on the back end of his career.
Russini: ‘Dallas Cowboys Closely Monitoring’ Maxx Crosby
And if you’re leaning toward the Cowboys employing a smokescreen side of things, Dianna Russini of The Athletic has good news for you–the Cowboys have not given up on making a trade for Crosby and there might not be as much of a bustling market on him as some suggest.
Here’s what Russini wrote in updating the trade situation with Crosby on Friday, on Twitter/X: “Maxx Crosby is drawing serious interest around the league. The Dallas Cowboys are closely monitoring the situation and remain very interested, while the Baltimore Ravens are also a team to watch. GMs believe the Las Vegas Raiders are willing to work on a deal.”
Big Difference From Micah Trade
The jostling is all about compensation, of course. Multiple reports say the Raiders are seeking from the Cowboys (and others) the same package that the Cowboys got back last August when they dealt away Micah Parsons to Green Bay. The Packers sent back first-round picks in 2026 (No. 20 this year) and 2027, plus Kenny Clark, who started up front for the Cowboys this season.
But the Cowboys see it differently. There are significant advantages Parsons had over Crosby at the time of the trade last summer, the most important being that Parsons was 25 and Crosby is 29. And though Parsons did, in fact, see his season ended by a devastating knee injury this year, Crosby is also coming off a knee surgery (meniscus) this season, and was slowed by ankle injuries in 2024.
The Cowboys are holding to that fact to get the Raiders to drop the price. It’s worth monitoring.