Dallas reportedly made three aggressive offers for Maxx Crosby. A medical concern, however, might derail the Cowboys' pursuit of the star pass rusher.
FRISCO - There are those who enthusiastically continue to push the idea of a Dallas Cowboys trade connection with Las Vegas Raiders pass-rusher Maxx Crosby, and there is new information that suggests three good reasons to keep hope alive …
And one good reason to kill the story altogether.
We now have new details about the Cowboys’ interest level in the star … accompanied by a detail in ESPN’s detailing of just what went wrong in the Raiders’ trade of Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens that was undone.
The Ravens nixed their deal, citing a failed medical evaluation - which just happens to have included the participation of Cowboys team doctor Dr. Dan Cooper, working independently in this case but also free to report back to Dallas about Crosby’s health and his supposed “failed physical.”
ESPN is reporting that while Crosby is expected to play this year as he rehabs from surgery, he has a “degenerative” knee issue worthy of concern.
I’ve suggested in this space that Dallas should circle back and offer the Raiders - who asked for and got two first-round picks from the Ravens (until they didn’t) - a “contingency” trade based on Crosby’s playing time and performance,
Dallas, though, has essentially leaked that it’s out of the running (even with owner Jerry Jones coyly hinting a never-say-never view.)
But before I slam the door shut on this? The Cowboys’ thirsty “Bust The Budget” efforts toward a Crosby trade merit consideration
Dallas apparently made three offers to Las Vegas:
1 - Dallas offered the 20th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 draft and defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa.
2 - Spurned, they then offered the 12th overall pick in and a third-round pick (which would’ve had to have been in 2027, as the Cowboys didn’t at the time own a Round 2 pick this year.)
3 - The final offer was the 12th overall pick and a second-round pick (again, that would’ve had to have been a 2027 selection).
So the Cowboys - who have since traded Odighizuwa (to the 49ers) so they now do have a 2026 third-rounder - never offered up both of their first-rounders (Nos. 12 and 20) … wisely, I say, as that would’ve been an over-pay.
Maybe Dr. Cooper’s involvement and opinion marks the end of this Maxx dream. (it’s important to note that we don’t know specifics about Cooper’s opinion, as there were multiple people involved in the Ravens decision.)
But at the risk of infuriating the “don’t tell me about the labor pains” crowd, my final (for now) take on the Cowboys and Crosby is that Jerry Jones really was trying to acquire an All-Pro difference-making “Budget-Buster” …
So maybe … just maybe … he’s got the guts and the wallet to try something like that again.