There is no getting around the interest in Maxx Crosby for the Dallas Cowboys. Jerry Jones certainly didn’t shoot down the rumor during the pre-camp press conference, and he made it very clear that the Cowboys would be interested in making a substantial move to improve their odds this season.
But what might be the cost for Crosby now after the Las Vegas Raiders' trade with the Baltimore Ravens fell through? According to Bryan Broaddus of Crown Global Media, it might not be as much as most would think.
On a recent appearance on 105.3 The Fan, Broaddus said that he’s hearing a deal would cost a 2027 first-round pick and likely another mid-round choice in 2028. And if that’s the case, the Cowboys would be foolish not to do this deal.
Raiders' Maxx Crosby would be worth the gamble for Dallas Cowboys
After the Ravens backed out of the Crosby trade due to a failed physical, it’s understandable why teams might be worried about giving up too much for him. He’s played through a bunch of injuries over the last few seasons, and the Raiders have not done a good job of protecting him from himself.
But if the cost is really just a 2027 first-round pick, the Cowboys have to seriously consider making that move for a variety of reasons. The most obvious is that Dallas is in a win-now window, and a player like Crosby could be the difference in them making the postseason or not.
The Cowboys like what they’ve done at pass rusher this offseason, trading for Rashan Gary and selecting Malachi Lawrence in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft. But Crosby is just a different level of player.
While he might not be a 16-17 sack player anymore, if he ever was, he is one of the league’s best run defenders and routinely eclipses double-digit sacks despite being one of the most double-teamed players in the league.
Adding a player like Crosby would help the entire defensive end room and would allow players like Donovan Ezeiruaku and Lawrence to grow in reserve roles rather than be full-time starters. Both would still see the field a ton, but they wouldn't be relied upon as much to be high-impact players.
It would give Dallas four EDGE rushers that they could deploy and rotate, which should allow them to stay fresh throughout the season.
Another reason why this deal makes too much sense for Dallas is that the pick they would be giving away (2027 first-round pick) is likely to be in the bottom half of Round 1.
Due to the trade with the Jets for Quinnen Williams, the Jets will get the better of the two first-round picks from Dallas. That means the Raiders would get the later selection, and it’s pretty likely that either the Cowboys or the Packers will make it to the postseason, and that pick will be in the 20s or later.
Giving up a pick, let’s say at No. 27, for one of the top five EDGE rushers in the league seems like a no-brainer. Even if Crosby declines as a pass rusher, the Cowboys would still be getting their value from him as a run defender right away. And if the goal is truly to win right now and in 2027, this is one of the best moves they could make.
The Cowboys have been hesitant to make all-in moves like this in the past, but they really might just be one pass rusher away from being real contenders in the NFC. And if the Raiders are open to making this deal now or early in the season, the Cowboys would be foolish to pass it up.
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