By the looks of it, the Dallas Cowboys were simultaneously so close to acquiring Maxx Crosby, yet seemed to be so far away. For as much as Jerry Jones tried to overcompensate for the Micah Parsons trade, the Baltimore Ravens swooped in at the 11th hour and made a league-shattering trade, which compelled Dallas to pivot to Rashan Gary.
That was until they didn't. Just two days later, Baltimore nixed the trade for medical reasons and Crosby was headed back to Las Vegas, where it seems like he will remain for the 2026 season. But Dallas' pursuit of the five-time Pro Bowler was the only one who rivaled the Ravens in trade talks.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleAccording to ESPN's Ryan McFadden, the Cowboys were the only other team seriously involved in trade talks, so much so to the point that Jones upped the ante on their offer multiple times. However, they were never able to compete with the two first-picks that the Ravens offered the Raiders.
"Baltimore beat out the Cowboys, who were also seeking an elite pass rusher. Initial offers centered on Dallas' second first-round pick at No. 20, and defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa. The Cowboys then offered their top first-rounder at No. 12 and a third-round pick. Ultimately, the Cowboys moved to No. 12 and their second-round pick, but the last two offers, sources said, did not include Odighizuwa, who was traded to the San Francisco 49ers for a third-round selection."
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was desperate for Maxx Crosby, but clearly not desperate enough
It would have been easy enough for Jones to part with both Cowboys' 2026 first-round picks, but in a good defensive draft, he didn't feel like it was worth the risk. In exchange for a player who is nearing 30 and has trouble staying healthy, that was probably the smart call.
McFadden also revealed that Odighizuwa was not involved in the final two offers, but Jones was potentially shopping him weeks before he traded him to San Francisco. Then again, if he wanted to establish he was serious about turning this defense around for Christian Parker, that's how you put your money where your mouth is.
It's hard to contend with Baltimore's price tag of two first-round picks, so much so that they couldn't even go through with it. I'm still not convinced they backed out for medical reasons when they were able to sign Trey Hendrickson, someone who is just as good, while keeping their two first-round picks.
After all of the backlash that came from the Parsons deal, Jones was pretty desperate to curry some favor with the fanbase, but even still, he was unwilling to get out of his own way to make the trade.
And once again, his ego is getting in the way of decision-making, even if it was the right call this time.