Jerry Jones had a chance to change everything this offseason with a trade that would’ve rocked the NFL. One of the league’s top pass rushers was available, and the Dallas Cowboys were positioned to strike.
Five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby was arguably the best player available this offseason. After a failed physical with the Ravens that compelled Baltimore to back out of the trade, the Raiders and Crosby have reconciled, and it looks like Crosby will stay a Raider, at least for now.
Since nothing is set in stone, Fox Sports writer Ralph Vacchiano wrote an article about a player that every NFC team should trade for during the draft. Sure enough, Vacchiano circled Crosby for Dallas.
"The Cowboys have two first-rounders, so they could part with one and sweeten the deal with a couple of thirds. Assuming Crosby's knee isn't ravaged, it’s worth the risk for a team desperate to make a Super Bowl run, because adding Crosby would give the Cowboys one of the best defensive fronts in the league."
Fox Sports' Maxx Crosby trade pitch is too good for the Dallas Cowboys to refuse
Acquiring Crosby would give the Cowboys one of the best defensive fronts in the NFL that opposing offensive lines would have nightmares about.
Vacchiano adds in his piece that it isn't like Jones to break the bank, especially on draft night. But if you can get a game wrecker to Dallas in any way possible, who cares how you do it? The Cowboys have been down this road before, but Vacchiano proposes a slight adjustment to Jones' previous idea.
Dallas' reported final offer for Crosby was the No. 12 overall pick and a 2027 second-round pick, which would've been a lot, but NFL general managers knew beforehand the price tag was going to be ginormous. We certainly can't blame Jones for trying, but two first-rounders from the Ravens in 2026 and 2027 were going to be tough to beat.
If enough time has passed since Crosby’s physical, the Cowboys could still swing a deal that works for both sides. The Raiders would land a haul of Day 1 and Day 2 picks to help reshape the franchise.
Best of all? The Cowboys would still have their pick at No. 20, and in that range they could draft Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Georgia linebacker CJ Allen, Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, or the best cornerback available.
As for Crosby's medical situation, it's still worrying, but the expectation is that he will be ready for training camp and the 2026 season.
Jones still has a shot to come up with the perfect package, and this is it. The offer is an A+ for the Raiders to get busy in the draft, and for the Cowboys to massively improve their awful defense from last season.