Maxx Crosby’s future with the Las Vegas Raiders has become one of the most intriguing storylines of the 2026 NFL offseason. Publicly, new head coach Klint Kubiak and owner Mark Davis have insisted they want their All-Pro edge rusher to remain the centerpiece of the franchise’s defense.
At the same time, end-of-season tension over Crosby being shut down, combined with the Raiders’ looming reset around a new young core, has fueled speculation that a massive trade could be on the table if the price is right.
In that landscape, projections now place the Dallas Cowboys among the most logical and aggressive potential suitors for a player signed to a three-year, $106.5 million extension.
Maxx Crosby Emerges as Superstar Option for Cowboys
Recent mock trade analysis from CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan broke down what it might take for the Cowboys to pull Crosby out of Las Vegas. Using last summer’s Micah Parsons blockbuster as the benchmark, he pointed out that Parsons cost the Green Bay Packers two first-round picks plus defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
“With this deal in mind, we could be looking at two first-round picks and a starting-caliber player as the ceiling for Crosby. If a team wants to get crazy and go beyond what Green Bay gave up, that’s its prerogative, but there are key differences between Parsons and Crosby,” Sullivan wrote.
Crosby is older and has more recent injury history, but he is still treated as a premier asset. Projections suggest his range could be as high as two first-rounders and a starting-caliber player, with a lower bound of at least one first-round pick plus additional premium compensation.
Crosby’s contract structure and performance profile are central to any hypothetical move. According to his current deal, signed in March 2025, he is on a three-year, $106.5 million extension with the Raiders that runs through 2029.
Spotrac’s figures show the agreement includes $91.5 million in total guarantees, with $62.5 million guaranteed at signing (covering his 2025 and 2026 salaries) and a 2027 base salary that fully guarantees on the third league day of 2026.
He carries a $35.79 million cap hit in 2026 and is due $30.78 million in cash, with a base salary of $30 million that season.
In 2027, his cap hit is listed at $29.78 million, followed by $27.28 million in 2028 and $28.21 million in 2029. The deal also includes a potential out after the 2027 season, with no dead cap charges starting in 2028.
From the Raiders’ perspective, his contract is also extremely tradeable. Spotrac’s breakdown shows that a pre–June 1 trade in 2026 would leave Las Vegas with $5.1 million in dead cap while generating $30.69 million in cap savings.
Post–June 1 trade figures are identical in terms of dead money and savings, with no future-year dead cap burden.
On the field, Crosby’s recent production supports the idea that he remains a true impact pass rusher.
After back-to-back seasons impacted by ankle and knee issues, he still posted double-digit sack totals in 2025 (10 sacks in 15 games, per Spotrac’s stat line) and logged heavy snap volume. Earlier seasons included 15- and 13-sack campaigns, with multiple Pro Bowl nods and second-team All-NFL recognitions.
That track record, combined with his age (29 at the start of the 2026 season), positions him as a win-now star for a contender rather than a long-term developmental piece for a team beginning a rebuild.
Dallas is regularly cited as the type of franchise that could justify such a move. The Cowboys are in a competitive window and have a history of bold personnel decisions.
Projections that link them to Crosby frame the logic this way: after already paying a steep price to acquire Parsons in the ESPN and CBS trade landscape, ownership has shown a willingness to “bust the budget” and chase elite defensive talent.
Adding Crosby opposite Parsons would immediately give Dallas one of the most formidable edge duos in the league, elevating their pass rush in a conference stacked with top-tier quarterbacks.
Any actual Cowboys-Raiders deal would still have to navigate Dallas’ cap situation and long-term planning, but the structure of Crosby’s extension makes the numbers workable over multiple years if the front office is willing to commit.
With his cap hits flattening as a percentage of a rising league cap, and no signing bonus proration complicating future years, restructuring or absorbing his deal fits the profile of the kind of aggressive move a contender could take on.
