The Dallas Cowboys did not win the Maxx Crosby sweepstakes, but it wasn't for a lack of trying.
When all was said and done, the Las Vegas Raiders simply could not say no to the Baltimore Ravens' offer of first-round picks in 2026 and 2027. Assuming Baltimore improves on its 8-9 finish last season, those picks will likely fall near the end of Round 1, but that is still a steep price to pay.
Adam Schefter reported that the Cowboys were willing to offer as much as a first- and-second-round pick, so it's hard to fault them for missing out. That would have been hard to part with, but they'd still have two first-rounders to work with over the next two years.
According to NFL insider James Palmer, however, Dallas offered a first-rounder, a second-rounder, "and more."
The #Cowboys made a very attractive offer for Maxx Crosby that included 1st rounder, 2 rounder and more I'm told. They started to feel today that it wasn't going to be enough and they were right.
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) March 7, 2026
The Dallas Cowboys nearly gave up way too much for Maxx Crosby
Well, that is absolutely terrifying.
Multiple reports confirmed that Dallas had no intention of giving up two first-round picks, so their offer likely never reached that level.
However, Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram pondered if trading a first-rounder, a second-rounder, and a player would be more palatable. Harris reported that the Raiders had been "keen on the idea of taking an interior defensive lineman in a deal."
While Quinnen Williams is not for sale, Harris noted that Kenny Clark and Osa Odighizuwa have contracts that can be moved, suggesting that Dallas may have been willing to part with one of them to bring in Crosby. That has not been confirmed.
However, it's quite easy to connect the dots between Palmer and Harris' reporting. We know the Cowboys were adamant about not trading two firsts, and Harris revealed that Las Vegas wanted one of Dallas' standout DTs.
Clark would have been extremely easy to move, as trading him would have freed up $21.5 million in cap space with zero dead money, per OverTheCap, creating a clear path to absorb Crosby's deal.
Clark and Dallas are reportedly working on an extension, so perhaps they never had any intention of trading him. This is a lot of speculating, but that's all we can do, as Palmer did not specify what the “more” was.
Simply put, it would have been reckless to send one of Clark or Odighizuwa, a 2026 first-round pick, and a 2027 second-round pick for Crosby. As great as Crosby is, he's not Micah Parsons, who went for two firsts and a three-time Pro Bowler in Kenny Clark.
The Cowboys certainly deserve credit for showing restraint, but Palmer's report suggests they nearly made an enormous blunder.