After being so close to securing a future with the Baltimore Ravens, Maxx Crosby is back to square one. But John Harbaugh’s team wasn’t the only suitor for the Las Vegas Raiders star defender this offseason. Reports claim that Jerry Jones and the Cowboys knocked on their door multiple times for Crosby’s trade, but couldn’t get a deal done. With Baltimore now out of the picture, Dallas could once again emerge as a potential destination if the Raiders decide to revisit trade talks.

“The Cowboys reportedly made three different trade offers for Raiders DE Maxx Crosby before the failed deal with the Ravens,” ProFootballTalk revealed via X.

The possibility of Maxx Crosby wearing another team’s jersey in 2026 had been building up for months, thanks to his public fallout with the Raiders. The situation left open doors for other teams to target the All-Pro edge rusher, and the Dallas Cowboys came calling, not once but thrice. According to ESPN’s Ryan McFadden, Dallas made a total of three offers during negotiations. 

In the first one, the team was willing to surrender its second first-round selection at No. 20, along with defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa. The player is coming off a powerful season in which he made thirteen starts, recording 44 tackles and 3.5 sacks. But since the Raiders didn’t find the offer lucrative enough, Dallas re-engaged with an offer of their top first-rounder at No. 12 and a third-round pick. 

Ultimately, they pursued Crosby one last time during that period by moving to No. 12 along with a second-round pick. It is to be noted that Odighizuwa wasn’t part of the last two offers. At the time of writing, the Cowboys have shipped him to the San Francisco 49ers for a third-round pick. As for the outcome, the Raiders didn’t deem these offers worthy of a high-caliber player such as Crosby.

The player put up another powerful season last year. He logged 73 tackles, ten sacks, and six passes defended across fifteen games. If it hadn’t been for the harrowing aftermath of his torn meniscus in his left knee, he would have been with the Ravens, who had offered two first-round picks before the deal crashed.

The Cowboys are desperate to overcome their defensive slump, which put them near the bottom last year.

The pass rush was an absolute disaster, and they needed more reliable men on the D-line. They recently added Rashan Gary through a deal with the Green Bay Packers, an important move following the departure of long-time veteran DeMarcus Lawrence, among other key pieces. Meanwhile, they also expect Marshawn Kneeland to take on a bigger role.

As Jerry Jones explicitly shared his plans to “bust the budget,” he could go big in the upcoming draft. Or maybe he could go after Maxx Crosby again with an even better offer after knowing the terms of Las Vegas’ failed deal with Baltimore. But as of now, there’s no indication of such a move. Now, let’s take a closer look at what went wrong between Crosby and the Ravens.

Why did Jerry Jones’ competitor pull out of the Crosby deal?

After making his 2019 NFL debut, Maxx Crosby has emerged as one of Las Vegas’ most iconic players. In his 110 appearances across seven seasons, he started 103 contests and amassed 69.5 sacks, third-highest in the franchise’s history. In March 2025, the Raiders rewarded him with a massive three-year deal worth $106.5 million. 

However, the lingering tensions between both sides ultimately set him up for trade this offseason. The Ravens, who seek to bolster their pass rush, showed deep interest by offering two first-round selections. One of them was the No. 14 overall selection in the 2026 draft. But the team ultimately called off the deal after Crosby failed the physical. It was because of a serious knee condition stemming from last season’s injury.

While early medical reports mentioned only general medical setbacks, it later emerged that Crosby had degenerative knee issues. Focusing on the long-term picture, Baltimore decided not to risk it. While his ability and performance were never in question, the rejection ultimately came down to his durability. Crosby underwent surgery in January to repair his left knee, a move many saw coming.

While he did push through the injury last year and played fifteen games, his condition wasn’t stable. It even prompted Las Vegas to sit him out for the final two games. Baltimore, obviously, had been taking notice of these developments. They overlooked that aspect initially and valued Maxx’s reputation as a five-time Pro Bowler. But a full medical evaluation made them realize that the long-term risk was too great to ignore. General manager Eric DeCosta later admitted to feeling “gutted” for turning down the offer. 

“We’ve done a lot of different trades,” he said. “One of the key things is you bring the player in and try to get as much information as you can. We did that, and we were not able to complete the process of acquiring the player based on our assessment of the situation.”

With the Ravens out, it remains to be seen whether Jerry Jones will pursue Crosby again after all this time.