The Dallas Cowboys have left no stone unturned to improve their pass-rushing corps this offseason, with all-time great Von Miller being the latest addition. And yet, for some reason, when it was reported that the team restructured several deals to open cap space, everyone's mind went to Maxx Crosby.
That's not what this means, though. At least not right now.
Crosby, the Las Vegas Raiders' star defensive end, has been the subject of Cowboys trade rumors for years now. There was some serious smoke both earlier this offseason (he was traded, but it was rescinded) and at the beginning of training camp, stirred up by none other than Jerry Jones himself.
And it is a bit peculiar that Dallas created the exact amount of salary cap space needed ($30+ million) to accommodate Crosby's base salary during the 2026 NFL season. But let's take off our tin foil hats for a second and listen to those with boots on the ground at The Star and Raiders HQ.
Cowboys restructure contracts to make enough room for Maxx Crosby, but that's not the story
ESPN's Todd Archer revealed on Thursday evening that the club reworked the contracts of DaRon Bland, Kenny Clark and Jake Ferguson, which created just over $19 million in savings. This means that the Cowboys now have roughly $33 million to work with.
But as Archer and NFL Network's Jane Slater said, this has nothing to do with Crosby. This is about clearing cap space and giving the front office more flexibility as they head into a year with Super Bowl aspirations and a 2027 offseason in which they have more players to pay than money to do so.
If Dallas is really humming and looks to be just a piece or two away from legitimate contention, then they can add another piece at the trade deadline to push them over the edge, as they attempted to do with Quinnen Williams last year. These restructures give them the freedom to do that.
That doesn't mean that Crosby's arrival is imminent, though. As Slater also pointed out, yes, the Cowboys can now afford Crosby, but the last time Jerry Jones and Co. made significant restructures, it ultimately amounted to nothing, and they rolled the cap over into the following season.
Plus, by all accounts, Crosby ate a slice of humble pie this offseason and has a bit of trauma from the last time he tried to leave the Raiders. It's obviously not in his hands, but the folks in Las Vegas seem happy to have him back as well. They feel like the football gods have spoken on the matter.
Don't read too much into Cowboys' contract restructures (yet)
So, maybe these restructures are as advertised, and this is merely for financial flexibility. And could that mean eventually accommodating Crosby? Of course. But it could also mean any number of trade targets around the league as the season begins and things unfold in unpredictable ways.
There could even be a George Pickens dimension to this. If Dallas lets the cap roll over again, as Slater noted it did last time, then suddenly the Cowboys have a bit more money to work with on a long-term deal for the star wideout, and every cent counts.
In all, yes, Crosby could become a Cowboy, but it's far from a guarantee, and it certainly wouldn't be right now. This is starting to feel like a "boy who cried wolf" situation, and absolutely nothing will even be talked about until months from now.
But Dallas is still being smart by reworking these deals, and it's exciting for fans to see what they'll ultimately do with it. Just don't go customizing Cowboys jerseys with 98 on the back yet.
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