Dallas Cowboys Balk At Asking Price For Maxx Crosby
The Dallas Cowboys wanted Maxx Crosby. They made a real push. They put real picks on the table. And then Baltimore swooped in, doubled down, and walked away with the most disruptive edge rusher in football. Close, but no cigar, Dallas.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Cowboys offered a first-round pick and a second-round pick to the Las Vegas Raiders for Crosby. It was a legitimate bid. Jerry Jones wanted this guy. The Cowboys needed this guy. And for a brief, tantalizing moment, it looked like it might actually happen. Then the Baltimore Ravens showed up.
The Ravens handed over two first-round picks, No. 14 overall in 2026 and another in 2027, and Crosby was heading to the Ravens. The Raiders, looking to stockpile draft capital around their promising young quarterback, took the better offer. Simple math. Painful reality.
Why the Cowboys Needed Crosby So Badly
Dallas had a rough 2025. A 7-9-1 record. A defense that ranked 30th in the entire league. They had the second-best total offense in the NFL and still couldn’t sniff the playoffs because their defense was a revolving door of missed tackles and blown coverages.
And now, with Micah Parsons gone, the Cowboys are staring down a defense that needs an identity transplant. Crosby was supposed to be the answer. A five-time Pro Bowler. A certified menace to offensive linemen everywhere. In 2025 alone, he racked up 10.0 sacks and 73 total tackles.
Since entering the league in 2019, Crosby has accumulated 69.5 sacks, 133 tackles for loss, and 164 quarterback hits. Those aren’t just impressive numbers; those are numbers that change franchises.
Why the Cowboys Walked Away From the Deal
The Cowboys didn’t lose Crosby because they weren’t interested. They lost him because they weren’t willing to go all-in the way Baltimore was. And honestly? That might have been the right call.
Dallas holds picks No. 12 and No. 20 in the 2026 draft. They have roster holes at cornerback, linebacker, safety, and edge rusher. Trading away multiple first-round picks for one player would have left Jerry Jones trying to patch a sinking ship with duct tape and optimism. Giving up two firsts would have been a gut punch the roster depth simply couldn’t absorb.
It’s also worth noting that the Cowboys don’t own a second-round pick in 2026, which means their reported offer included a 2027 second instead. So while Schefter’s report pegged it as a first-and-second offer, the actual value on Baltimore’s side was higher. The Raiders made a business decision. Can’t blame them.
What the Cowboys Do Next
So, where does Dallas turn now? The name on everyone’s lips is Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals. Reports surfaced earlier in the week that the Cowboys were already eyeing Hendrickson as their pivot option if Crosby slipped away. Well, Crosby slipped away. Hendrickson is now the top edge rusher available, and Dallas is expected to pursue him aggressively.
Jonathan Greenard of the Minnesota Vikings has also been floated as a potential target. With free agency officially open and the new league year underway, the Cowboys have options. Not Maxx Crosby options, but options nonetheless.
The Cowboys Defense Can’t Wait Another Season
Here’s the bottom line: whatever happened with Crosby is done. The Ravens got their guy. Now Dallas has to figure out its own path forward, and they have to do it fast.
The 2026 season won’t wait for anyone to finish grieving. The Cowboys have draft picks, cap space, and a front office that clearly isn’t afraid to make aggressive moves. They went after Crosby hard. That same energy needs to translate into landing someone who can get after the quarterback and help rebuild what was, last season, one of the worst defenses in the entire league.
The Cowboys are too talented offensively to keep wasting seasons because the defense can’t hold a lead. Jones said at the NFL Combine that he wants to win multiple Super Bowls. That’s not going to happen with a 30th-ranked defense.
