Maxx Crosby trade collapses: Why Cowboys unlikely to pursue Raiders star

THE The biggest move of the 2026 NFL offseason has collapsed Tuesday night when the Baltimore Ravens gave up sending two first-round picks to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for five-time Pro Bowl rusher Maxx Crosby. Crosby underwent knee surgery in January, but Baltimore opted out of the deal for medical reasons.

A number of teams were initially interested in Crosby, including the Dallas Cowboys. However, Dallas was unwilling to part with multiple first-round picks to complete the deal like Baltimore initially was.

So, will the Cowboys resume trade talks with the Raiders?

At this point, it seems too late. NFL Media initially reported that Dallas would still be interested in a Crosby trade, but subsequent reports from The Athletic, ESPN and others indicated that Dallas would not pursue Crosby after trading for Pro Bowler Rashan Gary from the Green Bay Packers in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick.

Rashan Gary trades notes: Cowboys get needed borderline help, Packers get draft pick

Jared Dubin

If the Cowboys had wanted to go back to the Crosby sweepstakes, it would have been easy to give up on Gary if a deal had been reached with Las Vegas. There is no guaranteed money left on Gary’s contract, so cutting him would save the Cowboys $19.5 million on the salary cap, according to Over the Cap. Dallas, this would obviously be unlikely, as it would mean lighting the fire on a fourth-round pick in the loaded 2027 NFL Draft class.

The Cowboys will enter the new league year Wednesday with a reworked defensive line featuring three former first-round picks: Gary (12th overall in 2019 by the Packers), three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark (27th overall in 2016 by the Packers) and four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (third overall in 2019 by the Jets).

They also have defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, whose 112 quarterback pressures are fourth-most among defensive tackles since 2024, along with 2025 second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku.

After going after linebacker Nakobe Dean, who agreed to a three-year, $36 million contract with the Raiders, Dallas still has a gaping gap at linebacker next to DeMarvion Overshown. The Cowboys also need a reliable corner to fill the void left by Jourdan Lewis’ departure in free agency last year to the Jaguars.

All moves in the NFL become official at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday at the start of the new league year.