If the Dallas Cowboys really want to cement themselves as contenders in 2026, they need to take a big swing. Jerry Jones did the same thing last offseason with George Pickens, and that paid off handsomely, which means that he should do the exact same thing on the other side of the football.
This Cowboys' offense has too much talent to be wasted by a historically bad defense. While Matt Eberflus' lack of functional knowledge of how to use this personnel was bad enough, this unit still needs a couple more reinforcements, especially with a new defensive coordinator coming to town.
They can address the defense through the draft or by adding Trey Hendrickson free agency, but the best course of action is to swing a blockbuster trade. The Quinnen Williams deal has worked out well, but now that Maxx Crosby could be available for trade, Jerry needs to call up his buddy Mark Davis.
The Cowboys need to get aggressive and swing a trade for Maxx Crosby
The five-time Pro Bowler is one of the best pure pass-rushers in football, and that's exactly what Dallas has lacked since trading Micah Parsons. In just 15 games this year, Crosby logged 10 sacks and a career-high 28 tackles for loss, as one a lone bright spot on a Raiders team that was a disaster.
The 29-year-old has been floated as a popular trade candidate after he was shut down by the Raiders late in the year even though he wanted to play through his knee injury. Sidelining him helped them clinch the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft but it also severed the relationship between he and Davis.
From a financial perspective, it would be easy to swing a trade since Crosby's contract extension was front-loaded, but the Cowboys are also in a bad financial situation. Their payroll is currently the highest in football, and they still have to agree to new contracts with Pickens and Javonte Williams.
There's risk because he may require meniscus surgery this offseason, but risk has never stopped Jerry before. Before he was acquired by Dallas, Pickens had attitude concerns, but since the Eastern Michigan product went to high school in Texas, they shouldn't be spooked by some minor red flags.
For those who are worried about parting with too much draft capital, fear not. After the Los Angeles Rams picked first in the 2016 NFL Draft, they didn't make a first-round selection for eight years (in large part due to player trades), yet they still won a Super Bowl and made another by going all-in.
The Cowboys really want to push for the NFC East and establish themselves as legit contenders in 2026, Jerry knows he needs to do, especially since they can use some of the picks they got in the Parsons trade to get it done.