The Las Vegas Raiders have spent the week putting out fires after trade rumors involving star pass rusher Maxx Crosby hit full speed on Tuesday. While the team quickly moved to shut down speculation that Dallas had reached out about acquiring the four-time Pro Bowler, not everyone is convinced the 28-year-old defensive end should stay put with a struggling franchise.

NFL legend Rob Gronkowski weighed in on the situation during his Wednesday appearance on the Up and Adams Show. When Kay Adams brought up the Cowboys trade rumors on the October 22 edition of Up and Adams, Gronkowski didn’t hold back.

“I really like the decision when Max Crosby re-signed with the Las Vegas Raiders this year because in the NFL you really don’t see guys in an organization with so much loyalty to each other. And Max Crosby believed that the Raiders were probably going to take it to another level and have the chance of making it to the playoffs.” Gronkowski explained.​​

“But this guy needs a chance to be able to win a Super Bowl. NFL fans love Max Crosby. I love watching Max Crosby. He needs to be on a team because he’s going towards end of his career. What is he? 30 years old? Still playing at a high, high, high level. I think going to the Dallas Cowboys now would be a great move for Max Crosby. It would be a great move for Dallas Cowboys. It would be a great move for NFL fans.”

Gronk quickly shifted gears to address the harsh reality facing both Crosby and the Raiders about their playoff aspirations. The problem is that belief hasn’t matched up with what’s actually happening on the field this season.​

Las Vegas has stumbled to a 2-5 record that includes a humiliating 31-0 blowout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7.

Gronkowski delivered the gut punch when he made his stance clear on what Crosby needs. “This guy needs a chance to be able to win a Super Bowl.”

He drove the point home even harder by adding how Crosby is playing at an elite level even when he nears the end of his career at 28 years old. Gronkowski also endorsed the idea of Crosby heading to Dallas, even after the Cowboys traded away Micah Parsons to Green Bay before the season started. “I think going to the Dallas Cowboys now would be a great move for Max Crosby.”​

The former TE also pointed out the obvious gap the Cowboys are dealing with on defense. “Now they’re seeing the hole that they have, the gap that they have because they let Parsons go. So can they fill it with Max Crosby and save? And they would save $12 million,”

The financial reality of a potential trade actually works in the Cowboys’ favor more than most people realize. While Crosby’s cap hit for the Raiders sits at $38.16 million this season, his 2026 salary of $30 million is already fully guaranteed, and his 2027 salary of $29 million vests fully guaranteed in March 2026. But after that, Dallas wouldn’t have to make a final decision on his contract until after the 2026 season.

What it would actually cost Dallas to land Maxx Crosby

The Raiders would actually save $19 million in 2025 and $30 million in 2026 if they sign Crosby, which makes the financial argument much less of a roadblock than it appears on the surface.​ Crosby has been one of the few bright spots for the Raiders this season despite the team’s struggles.

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The initial report that sparked all the chaos came from former ESPN broadcaster Trey Wingo, who claimed on Tuesday that Dallas had made inquiries about trading for Maxx Crosby. Cowboys reporter Clarence Hill Jr. quickly pushed back on that report, saying no such talks had taken place. ​

But Cowboys insider Bryan Broaddus isn’t convinced the trade possibility is completely dead. Speaking on Crown Global Media’s platform, Broaddus reminded everyone what happened with Parsons just a few months ago. The Cowboys insisted they weren’t trading Parsons and couldn’t imagine him in another uniform, then shipped him to Green Bay in exchange for two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark.

“We heard the same thing from Stephen Jones. We were standing there, myself at Nobu when Stephen Jones said ‘no, I’m not going to trade Micah Parsons. He said that. He said ‘No, I, there’s no reason. I’m not going to do this. I don’t think this is dead, I really don’t. It got out, it spread very quickly, and now you’ve the parties involved trying to kind of dampen the fire a little.”

Dallas currently sits at 3-3-1 and holds down second place in the NFC East after a surprising win over Washington in Week 7. The Cowboys have the assets to make a blockbuster move with two first-round picks in 2026, currently projected around 12th and 29th overall. To pry Crosby away from Las Vegas, it would likely take at least one of those first-round selections, possibly both, depending on how desperate Dallas gets.​