The Dallas Cowboys cannot afford to stay on the fence if they are serious about trading for Maxx Crosby. At the same time, the Las Vegas Raiders have been clear with their asking price, which is two first-round picks. That is where things stand right now. And in the middle of it, ESPN’s Mike Tannenbaum has laid out how Dallas should approach this situation.

“Dallas is probably saying, ‘I don’t wanna give up the 12th pick in the draft if I worry about where he’s gonna be in 3 years,'” Tannenbaum said. “My pushback to that is, ‘No certainty that your first round pick is gonna be on your team in 3 years. This is an opportunity they need to take advantage of.”

Tannenbaum’s point is straightforward. Do not overthink the future when a proven player like Crosby is available. On paper, it sounds reasonable. In reality, though, there is a clear hesitation from Jerry Jones when it comes to parting with two first-round picks.

That hesitation has already shown up in past negotiations. According to ESPN, the Cowboys made three separate offers for Crosby. All three of them, however, were rejected by the Raiders. The first included their 2026 first-round pick at No. 20 along with Osa Odighizuwa.

At one point, Dallas pulled that version off the table and reshaped it. The second offer involved the 2026 first-round pick at No. 12 and a 2027 third-round pick. But again, it fell short of the Raiders’ demand for two first-rounders.

The final offer followed a similar pattern. Dallas proposed the 2026 first-round pick at No. 20 along with a 2027 second-round pick. That too was rejected.

Subsequently, it’s evident how things went down. The Baltimore Ravens stepped in and agreed to send two first-round picks for Crosby. The deal, however, collapsed after the five-time Pro Bowler failed his physical.

Now the situation has reset. Dallas has another window to revisit the trade, while the Raiders remain firm on their asking price. Tannenbaum’s stance is that this is the kind of move the Cowboys should not pass on, especially considering their issues on the edge.

The numbers back that up. Dallas allowed 2,133 rushing yards in 2025, ranking 23rd at 125.5 yards per game. They also gave up 24 rushing touchdowns. There were games where opponents ran all over them, including 216 yards by the Carolina Panthers and 179 by the Denver Broncos. In total, they allowed over 130 rushing yards in nine different games.

So, from a football standpoint, adding Crosby makes sense. It addresses a clear weakness and adds a proven presence up front.

But the roadblock remains the same. Dallas is still reluctant to meet the Raiders’ price of two first-round picks. And beyond that, there is another layer to consider. Crosby himself is reportedly inclined to stay in Las Vegas.

That leaves the situation balanced between opportunity and hesitation. The fit is obvious. The cost and the player’s stance are what keep this from being straightforward.

NFL insider reports Maxx Crosby no longer wants to get out of Vegas

“We’re pretty far down the road relative to what our plans are. So while I don’t anticipate it, I don’t want to rule anything out,” Jerry Jones said when asked about pursuing Crosby, per the Associated Press.

Since then, the Cowboys have explored multiple ways to land Crosby, but nothing has materialized. Instead, Jones shifted direction and brought in Rashan Gary from the Green Bay Packers via trade.

At this point, Dallas could still revisit the idea of trading for Crosby, but it does not look likely right now. Part of that comes down to the Cowboys’ reluctance to meet the asking price. The other part is the player’s stance. According to Tom Pelissero, Crosby is no longer pushing for a move out of Las Vegas.

“My understanding is when teams have been checking on [a possible trade], they have been told the same thing that Maxx told everyone from [Raiders owner] Mark Davis to [Raiders general manager] John Spytek to [Raiders head coach] Klint Kubiak to [Raiders defensive coordinator] Rob Leonard, which is Maxx wants to be a Raider,” Pelissero told Rich Eisen. “Maxx is no longer trying to get out of Las Vegas.”

That shifts the situation into a different space. On the one hand, Dallas still needs to strengthen its pass rush. On the other hand, Crosby himself appears committed to staying in Vegas.

So the path forward is fairly clear. If Dallas becomes aggressive enough, a deal is still possible. But it would almost certainly require two first-round picks, which is exactly what they have been unwilling to offer so far.