The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2026 NFL offseason in the hunt for a star pass rusher to pair with Donovan Ezeiruaku, who is coming off an impressive rookie campaign.
Dallas was firmly in the mix for Las Vegas Raiders superstar Maxx Crosby, and was reportedly among the finalists to land him during some tense trade discussions. Ultimately, the Raiders shipped Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens for two first-round picks.
Things then took an unexpected turn when Crosby allegedly failed a physical by the Ravens, which led to the trade being voided. Now, Crosby is back with the Raiders and looking forward to resuming his career in Las Vegas.
But just how close were the Cowboys to landing Crosby, and what did the team offer? ESPN.com gathered a group of NFL insiders to share some insight, and the Cowboys’ three offers were revealed.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollowDallas Cowboys’ Trade Offers For Maxx Crosby
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby during pregame warmups before a game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
The Cowboys’ initial offer for Crosby reportedly included the team’s No. 20 overall pick, Dallas’ second in the first round, and star defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa.
That wasn’t enough to get the deal done, so the team then moved to offering their top pick, No. 12 overall, and a third-round selection. This time, however, Odighizuwa was not included in the trade package.
For their final offer, the Cowboys once again offered their No. 12 overall pick to the Raiders, along with a second-round selection in the 2027 draft. Once again, Odighizuwa was not included in the package, and the Raiders opted for the Ravens’ two first-round picks.
It was a good effort, but ultimately was not enough to get the job done. After missing out on Crosby and shopping Odighizuwa, the Cowboys traded him to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a third-round pick in this year’s draft.
Now, the Cowboys have to look elsewhere to bolster the edge during the remainder of the offseason. The team did complete a trade for Pro Bowl EDGE Rashan Gary from the Green Bay Packers, but there is still room for improvement. The team still holds both of its first-round picks in the draft this spring, so there will be plenty of options at either pick No. 12 or No. 20 overall. Let’s just hope the team can hit with whichever player they choose to welcome to Big D.
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