The Dallas Cowboys were a front-runner to land Las Vegas Raiders edge-rusher Maxx Crosby this offseason.
However, those dreams were dashed when the Baltimore Ravens agreed to acquire the Pro Bowler in early March only to back out of the deal at the last minute.
Though Crosby could still theoretically be traded at some point this year after returning to the Raiders, trade buzz around him has cooled in recent weeks.
But that buzz picked up again on Thursday after the Dallas Cowboys made a series of salary restructures that have some thinking a potential move for Crosby could have steam again.
Cowboys Create Enough Cap Space to Make Run at Crosby
According to ESPN’s Todd Acher, the Cowboys restructured the deals of Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark, two-time Pro Bowl tight end Jake Ferguson, and All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland, creating $19 million in cap space.
Dallas had a little over $14 million in cap space before the moves, giving the team approximately $33 million in cap space to work with. The moves had some NFL insiders pondering if the moves were done to set up a larger, more impactful move — I.e. Crosby.
“If the Cowboys want to make a significant trade before the deadline later this season, theoretically they would have the room to do so,” Archer said. “Last year, the Cowboys added Pro Bowl defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets with a trade deadline deal.”
“Their deals were re-worked to give the Cowboys flexibility as the 2026 season begins or allow the club to carry over any unused space to 2027,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter posted on X.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio added: “With more than $30 million in 2026 cap space now on hand, the Cowboys have plenty of space to absorb a veteran contract (or two) via trade. Coincidentally, or not, Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby has a 2026 base salary of $30 million. Just saying.”
Crosby Would Make Cowboys’ Pass-Rush Elite Again
Dallas has been searching for an answer to its pass-rush problem ever since it traded All-Pro Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers last season.
The Cowboys had just two players with more than 3.5 sacks last year, one of which — Jadeveon Clowney (8.5) — is now with the Houston Texans. Osa Odighizuwa, who led the team in pressures (52), is also with the San Francisco 49ers now.
Dallas addressed its pass-rushing issues this offseason by trading for Pro Bowler Rashan Gary, signing former All-Pro Von Miller, and drafting Malachi Lawrence and Jaishawn Barham in Rounds 1 and 3 of the 2026 draft, respectively.
But adding Crosby would not only legitimize the team’s pass-rushing unit, it would bring it back to elite territory. The 29-year-old had reached double-digit sacks in three of the last four seasons, and he’s recorded 50 or more pressures in each of the last five seasons, per Pro Football Focus.
If the Cowboys were to acquire Crosby, it would come at a steep price. The Ravens were going to send Dallas two first-round picks for Crosby back in March, and it’s assumed the Raiders would want a similar return if he’s dealt again.
Maxx Crosby Trade Buzz Heats Up After Cowboys’ Latest Roster Moves