With the trade deadline approaching fast, the Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby is caught in the mix. And according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, the Raiders have made their stance clear to Crosby about any potential trade.

“The Raiders met with star DE Maxx Crosby today to let him know they aren’t shopping him and won’t trade him. While other teams are interested, the Raiders aren’t interested in moving their best player, and Crosby wants to stay in Las Vegas,” Pelissero wrote. That’s understandable considering the fact that Crosby has been the only good thing about the Raiders’ season so far.

Yeah, it’s really no shock that the Raiders want to keep Maxx Crosby no matter what. What’s actually surprising is that Crosby seems just as committed to staying. With the Raiders only a few bad games away from falling out of the playoff picture, his loyalty says a lot about how much he genuinely loves the city.

And honestly, it makes sense. At this point, Crosby and the Raiders are practically one and the same. In a league where most defensive lines rotate constantly to keep everyone fresh, Crosby barely ever comes off the field. Between 2022 and 2024, he’s been on the field for at least 95 percent of the Raiders’ defensive snaps, and even this season, he’s sitting at around 88 percent, per Pro Football Reference.

Why he’s so loyal, though, is up for debate. Maybe it’s because he loves the team and the fans. Maybe he believes in what the Raiders are building. Or maybe it’s just that playing in Vegas, he entertainment capital of the world, has its perks.

Whatever the reason, it’s clear that Crosby isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. And with that, we can officially close the book on those Dallas Cowboys rumors.

Maxx Crosby to Cowboys rumors put to bed

Well, that didn’t last long. Last night, reports came out that the Cowboys had reached out to the Raiders about a possible trade for Crosby. And just like that, the rumor died within 24 hours. For Cowboys fans, it’s definitely a letdown. Crosby would’ve been the perfect way to soften the blow of losing Micah Parsons.

On paper, Dallas looks better than Vegas. You could argue they’ve got the league’s top offense right now, and their quarterback is playing out of his mind. But that defense? Yeah… not so great. You could easily make a case that it’s one of the worst units in football.

And really, going from one struggling defense to another isn’t exactly appealing. If Crosby ever did think about leaving the Raiders, he’d probably want to join a defense that’s already built to succeed. Somewhere he doesn’t have to carry the entire load himself.

From the Cowboys’ side, Crosby was the kind of impact player who could’ve completely changed their defensive identity. They’re only a solid defense away from seriously contending for a Super Bowl, and while one guy can’t fix everything, a player like Crosby could’ve been the spark to turn things around.

But there’s the money barrier, too. The Cowboys have a couple of extra first-rounders over the next two seasons, so they had some flexibility, but trading for Crosby wouldn’t come cheap. The salary would surely be lower than what Parsons was asking for, but it’s still hefty.

Jerry Jones probably doesn’t want to throw that kind of money around right now.