With just one regular season game remaining and no opportunities in the postseason, the Dallas Cowboys are likely already looking at how they can improve next season.
While the NFL Draft is still months away (it kicks off on April 23), some analysts think the Cowboys might make some serious moves when it arrives — with some coming via blockbuster trades.
K.D. Drummond of Cowboys Wire put together a trade proposal that would send the Las Vegas Raiders a future first-round pick along with defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa in exchange for star edge rusher Maxx Crosby. So, basically, Dallas would use some of its surplus draft capital to replace the elite pass rusher it already shipped out in Micah Parsons, and Las Vegas would trade Crosby for multiple building blocks.
“It appears there may be an option on the table to acquire a proven edge rusher, and one who fits Schottenheimer’s personality clause; the Raiders’ Maxx Crosby,” Drummond wrote on January 1. “Crosby’s relentless motor is well renown, and his dedication to wanting to be on the field every possible snap is only surpassed by the fact he’s an elite talent. It makes sense for the Cowboys, who inquired about Crosby prior to the trade deadline, to revisit those conversations now that things between he and Las Vegas appear shaky.”
More on Trade Proposal That Would Send Maxx Crosby to the Dallas Cowboys in Exchange for Osa Odighizuwa
GettyA new trade proposal swaps Dallas Cowbots DT Osa Odighizuwa for Las Vegas Raiders DE Maxx Crosby.
The reason Crosby is even being discussed as a trade candidate at all is because of the way his 2025 campaign ended. He was battling a lingering knee injury throughout the season, but according to FOX Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer, the veteran DE “vehemently disagreed” with the Raiders’ decision to shut him down for the final two games. Crosby apparently told Glazer that he had been playing hurt since Week 3, and was more than capable of finishing the season.
The tension spilled into public view when Crosby left the team facility after being told he wouldn’t play again this year. The Raiders ultimately placed him on season-ending injured reserve. He’s expected to have knee surgery in the offseason. Drummond thinks that with all the drama swirling around, the draft might be a perfect time to pounce.
“The Cowboys have an abundance of interior DT talent now, after adding Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams,” Drummond added. “Odighizuwa was signed to a four-year deal this past spring, and is now the team’s third-best DT. His upside is strong, and he’s a capable interior anchor for a team that is rebuilding like the Raiders. Them getting back a starting DT along with the No. 14 overall pick, while taking their franchise QB at No. 1, makes a ton of sense.”
Pairing Crosby With Quinnen Williams Would Give Cowboys a Ridiculous D-Line
Crosby’s production in 2025 was still excellent considering he was playing through injury. He finished with 73 tackles, 10 sacks, two forced fumbles, and the first interception of his career in 15 games. The Raiders gave him a three-year, $106.5 million extension in March 2025 that runs through the 2029 season, with guarantees north of $90 million.
The Cowboys inked Odighizuwa to four-year, $80 million deal, with significant guarantees. Trading him would free up enough cap space to take on Crosby’s $36 million cap hit in 2026 and his $30 million hit in 2027. Dallas would have an out in his contract after that, should it choose to pursue him.
The Cowboys traded for Williams before the trade deadline this season, and imagining him on the same defensive front as Crosby would give Dallas two of the NFL’s most disruptive D-linemen. Williams can collapse the pocket with the best of them, and Crosby is a game-wrecker all by himself.
Whether this is something Dallas does remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: adding Crosby would be a franchise-altering move — in a good way.
Cowboys Trade Idea Swaps Osa Odighizuwa for Defensive Superstar