Las Vegas Raiders Star Maxx Crosby Linked To High-Profile Team

Just when you thought Jerry Jones couldn’t surprise us anymore, “America’s Team” goes and does something that actually makes sense. According to former ESPN analyst Trey Wingo, the Dallas Cowboys have officially picked up the phone and called the Las Vegas Raiders about trading for defensive end Maxx Crosby. And honestly? It’s about time someone in that front office showed some guts.

Why Crosby Makes Perfect Sense For Dallas

Breaking: according to sources the @dallascowboys have made inquiries with the @Raiders about a potential trade for Maxx Crosby

— trey wingo (@wingoz) October 21, 2025

Let’s be real here – the Cowboys‘ defense has been softer than a bag of marshmallows this season. At 401.6 yards allowed per game, Dallas is dead last in the NFL. Dead. Last. That is the kind of stat that makes defensive coordinators wake up in cold sweats.

Enter Maxx Crosby, a man who treats quarterbacks like they owe him money. The four-time Pro Bowler has been absolutely terrorizing offensive lines since 2019, racking up 63.6 sacks, 153 QB hits, and enough highlight-reel plays to fill a Netflix series. This season alone, he’s got four sacks and 10 tackles for loss through just seven games. Not bad for a guy playing on a Raiders team that has been more disappointing than a gas station hot dog.

The Micah Parsons Factor

Now, let’s address the elephant in the room – or should I say the missing elephant? Trading away Micah Parsons to Green Bay was like selling your Ferrari because you couldn’t afford the insurance. Sure, it made financial sense at the time, but now you’re stuck taking the bus while watching your former ride tear up the highways.

The absence of Parsons has left a gaping hole in the team’s pass rush that’s been more obvious than a Cowboys fan at an Eagles tailgate. They’ve struggled to generate pressure, set the edge, or basically do anything that resembles competent defense.

What Would It Take To Land Crosby?

Here’s where things get interesting. Crosby isn’t just some rental player looking for a new zip code. This man signed a three-year, $106.5 million extension back in March, with $91.5 million guaranteed. That’s “buy a small island” money, folks. The deal runs through 2029, which means whoever trades for him isn’t just getting a half-season rental – they’re getting a franchise cornerstone.

The price tag won’t be cheap, but it probably won’t be Parsons-level expensive either. At 28 years old, Crosby has a few more miles on the odometer than the 25-year-old Parsons had when Dallas shipped him to Green Bay. Still, we’re talking about a player who can single-handedly change the trajectory of a defense.

Cowboys’ Current Defensive Struggles

Dante Fowler Jr. and Osa Odighizuwa have been trying their best to fill the pass rush void, but asking them to replace Parsons’ production is like asking a kazoo to fill in for a full orchestra. They’re serviceable players, but serviceable doesn’t win Super Bowls in today’s NFL.

The Jerry Jones Wild Card

If there’s one thing we know about Jerry Jones, it’s that the man loves making splash moves. Sometimes they work (hello, Deion Sanders), sometimes they don’t (hello, Joey Galloway trade), but they always generate headlines. Trading for Crosby would be exactly the kind of bold move that could either save the season or become another cautionary tale about swinging for the fences.

The Cowboys are sitting at 3-3-1, which puts them in that dangerous “we’re good enough to make the playoffs but not good enough to do anything when we get there” territory. A move like this could be the difference between another early playoff exit and a legitimate Super Bowl run.

Making the Numbers Work

From a financial standpoint, this trade would require some creative accounting. Crosby’s contract is significant, but it’s not cap-breaking for a team like Dallas. The real question is what the Raiders would want in return. Draft picks? Young players? A combination of both?

Las Vegas is in rebuild mode (again), so they’d likely want future assets. The Cowboys have some intriguing young players and still possess valuable draft capital from the Parsons trade. It is not impossible to envision a scenario where both teams walk away feeling like they got what they needed.

The Bottom Line On This Potential Blockbuster

Look, trades like this don’t happen every day. Star players under long-term contracts rarely get moved, especially players of Crosby’s caliber. But these aren’t normal circumstances. The Raiders are struggling, the Cowboys are desperate for defensive help, and sometimes desperation breeds opportunity.

Whether this rumor turns into reality remains to be seen. NFL trade talks are like dating in high school – lots of interest gets expressed, but most relationships never make it past the talking stage. Still, the fact that Dallas is making these calls shows they understand what everyone else can see: their defense needs major help, and they need it now.

If Jones can pull this off, it would be the kind of move that reminds everyone why he’s been successful for so long. If it falls through, well, at least they’re trying. In a league where standing still means falling behind, sometimes you’ve got to make the big swings to stay competitive.