March 5, 2026, 7:59 p.m. CT

Maxx Crosby; perhaps you’ve heard of him? The former Colleyville Heritage High School product has been making headlines for some time now. Banished to the land of slot machines, showgirls and unmarked graves, Crosby — who turns 29 in August — doesn’t quite fit the timeline of the rebuilding Las Vegas Raiders. As such, he’s been the subject of countless trade scenarios this offseason.  

The Dallas Cowboys are the central destination for many of those trade scenarios. Looking to get back the mojo they lost when the traded away Micah Parsons, the Cowboys have been betting favorites to land Crosby much of this offseason. They have the positional need on the edge, and they appear to have the ambition to make a splash. Welcoming the hometown hero makes sense in many ways.

But Dallas isn’t alone in their interest in Crosby. Multiple teams are said to be kicking the tires, with offers battling it out as we speak. “Inside sources” and “trust me, bros” have been muddying the waters of authenticity, making for one exciting time in the sports world.

What can be safely assumed through various media sources is the Cowboys have interest. What is unknown is exactly what they are willing to offer and what the Raiders truly demand. It’s been said the demand is similar to that of Parsons: two first-round picks and a player. It’s also been said the Cowboys are unwilling to meet these demands given the plethora of needs they have to fill this offseason. Crosby isn’t exactly the final piece of the puzzle on this historically poor Dallas defense.

There’s also concern over his level of wear and tear. Crosby logs more milage than the average starting defensive end, posting 94 percent or more of available defensive snaps in each of the last four seasons per PFR. There’s also the fact he’s undergone eight surgeries in the last seven seasons, including a season-ending ankle injury in 2024 and a season-ending meniscus injury in 2025. He’s battled through, but the hits eventually have to take their toll.

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There’s also the contract to contend with. Crosby is said to be looking for a new deal and given his place at the top of the DE hierarchy, he’s likely to get something approaching the once inconceivable $40 million range. Any team trading for him would give up the means to inexpensive labor via rookie contracts and be swallowing a top shelf contract on top of that.

For teams looking to win now, Crosby is the perfect player to potentially put them over the top. For teams who finished with losing records in 2025, roster needs might be too expansive to justify an all-in move such as this.

The Cowboys are said to be shifting focus to a free agent like Trey Hendrickson. Hendrickson isn’t quite the iron man or run stopper Crosby is – not even close – but he has graded higher as a pass rusher in each of the last four seasons, ranking in the NFL’s top 10 each year. At the age of 31, he comes with his own durability concerns but given he’s a free agent and doesn’t require draft picks and player compensation to acquire, he’s a solid alternative.

How this lands is anyone’s guess. Crosby could get traded today, tomorrow or not at all. What makes this such a compelling story is the quality of player he is, the massive compensation required to get him, and the Cowboys name floating in the headlines.

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