Maxx Crosby returned to the Las Vegas Raiders after his trade to the Baltimore Ravens collapsed in March. However, Crosby could still find himself playing for a different team in 2026.
Crosby has proven time and again that he is among the elite edge rushers in the NFL. He has accumulated 69.5 sacks, 22.5 sacks in the fourth quarter alone since the Raiders drafted him in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL draft.
The Ravens wanted to make Crosby a part of their defense, but backed out three days after striking a trade deal. The Raiders happily welcomed Crosby back on the team because owner Mark Davis didn’t intend to part ways with the All-Pro edge from the beginning.
However, the Raiders aren’t exactly ready to challenge for a Super Bowl, unlike the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys are going all in for the Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium next February.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has recently announced that he’s ready to splash high picks to strengthen the defense that gave up 511 points in 2025.
I’d give up future to add substantive to where we are today to get the right kind of deal to improve us opening day.
Jerry Jones said on Tuesday from the Cowboys’ training camp at Oxnard, Calif
Two names have been constantly linked with the Cowboys ever since. Defensive tackle Vita Vea, who from the Bucs, and Maxx Crosby.
Speaking with USA Today Sports, Crosby made his stance clear on the Cowboys’ showing interest in him.
It doesn’t change anything for me, to be honest… If you’re an athlete in this position, you see everything. Regardless, if you want to or not.
Maxx Crosby said
Crosby may be a ‘Raider For Life,’ but in his seven years with the club, he has only ever played one playoff game. The Raiders failed to put together a roster capable of recording a winning season, let alone regularly qualifying for January football.
In 2025, the Raiders benched Crosby for the last two games, citing his knee injury. Crosby wasn’t happy with the decision. Even though the Raiders had won just three games until then, Crosby still wanted to play every minute. He finished the year on 15 appearances.
According to multiple league reports, the Raiders benched Crosby to acquire the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which they did.
Despite his Crosby made it clear that he . So, he said yes to the Ravens trade. The Ravens sent two first-round picks to the Raiders for Crosby. Unfortunately, the trade collapsed just three days after it was announced. Although the reason behind the collapse remains a mystery, the official word from the Ravens was that the doctors advised them to back out after seeing the .
When Crosby made his intentions clear about playing for another team, several franchises besides the Ravens contacted the Raiders. Among them were the Dallas Cowboys.
However, the Cowboys weren’t like the Ravens. Reporters asked veteran owner Jerry Jones whether the Cowboys gave up on Crosby back then.
We did not walk away [from Crosby], that’s about all there is to say. We had understood his injury well. He is such a Raider, and we shouldn’t be having this kind of discussion.
Jerry Jones revealed via Jon Machota of The Athletic
The Cowboys made headlines in 2025 when they agreed to trade All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers. The Cowboys haven’t had the chance to find Parsons replacement. Sure, they received Rashan Gary in the trade, but Crosby is the superior player in every sense.
The Cowboys’ defense under new DC Christian Parker has already created a buzz around the league. Adding Crosby to that locker room would be a step in the right direction for the Boys.