Could Cowboys reopen the door for pursuit of Raiders' Maxx Crosby?

A lengthy piece produced by Ryan McFadden and other ESPN reporters that was published on Tuesday revealed that Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones was willing to trade the 12th overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft and a second-round selection to the Las Vegas Raiders for star pass-rusher Maxx Crosby. 

The Raiders eventually accepted an offer of two first-round picks from the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for Crosby, but Baltimore controversially backed out of the deal after the 28-year-old failed a physical for reasons related to the meniscus repair he underwent in January. 

According to ESPN, the Cowboys are "not reengaging in talks" with the Raiders regarding Crosby. However, Cowboys insider Clarence Hill of All DLLS believes the team has not completely slammed the door shut on trading for Crosby at some point this year. 

When could Cowboys "revisit" a trade for Maxx Crosby

"Let's revisit at the trade deadline," Hill said on the latest edition of the "DLLS Cowboys Podcast," per Josh Sanchez of Sports Illustrated and Heavy's Sean Deveney. "You know, this is not over. Let's revisit at the trade deadline. Some of the things that people are talking in Baltimore, coming out of Baltimore, is that, you know, we're worried about 'degenerative.' You know, he'll play this year. But what about two or three years down the line? And... Baltimore, to me, like the Cowboys, you ain't won squat, okay? Your biggest issue is winning in the playoffs. It's about winning now, okay? I'm not worried about '27 and '28."

Hill was referencing how the Ravens were reportedly worried about a "degenerative issue" in Crosby's knee. That said, the Cowboys haven't played in an NFC Championship Game since they won the Super Bowl in January 1996. Meanwhile, the previously mentioned Jones is 83 years old and seemingly is always in a win-now mode. 

Crosby sounds willing to stay with what's been his only NFL team since the 2019 draft, but some think he and the Raiders could agree to a divorce this fall if Las Vegas is clearly destined to endure another losing season come October. Hill believes the Cowboys could become buyers if such a scenario plays out. 

Is it time for Cowboys to go all-in on a Maxx Crosby trade?

"If I get to the Super Bowl this year, he don't have to play in '27 or '28, right? Right," Hill added about Dallas possibly trading for Crosby. "You know, we're going to be fine because we finally got our Super Bowl, and Lamar Jackson and Baltimore are in that same position that Dak and the Cowboys are. It's time to win."

It takes two to tango, and Crosby previously insisted he only wants to play for the Raiders through the end of his career. He reportedly requested a trade at some point after the 2025 season wrapped up, but there's currently no indication he is in a hurry to find a new team after the Ravens decided that acquiring his services wasn't worth the risk. 

The ESPN story noted that "multiple Raiders sources say they'd be surprised if Crosby was traded in the short term." It remains to be seen what "the short term" means as it pertains to Crosby's future beyond Week 1 of the 2026 season.