Fresh salary cap maneuvering by the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday has revived talk that the club could still pursue Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby.
Dallas had been viewed as a leading suitor for the Pro Bowl pass rusher earlier in the offseason. Those hopes faded when the Baltimore Ravens reached an agreement to acquire Crosby in early March, only to walk away from the deal at the last minute.
Crosby returned to the Raiders after that collapse. Interest in a possible midseason trade cooled for several weeks.
That conversation picked up again after the Cowboys reworked several existing contracts. The timing left some around the league wondering whether Dallas was clearing room for a bigger addition.
ESPN’s Todd Archer reported that the team restructured the contracts of defensive tackle Kenny Clark, tight end Jake Ferguson and cornerback DaRon Bland. Those moves created $19 million in additional cap space.
Dallas already had a little more than $14 million available before the restructures. The club now sits with roughly $33 million in cap room.Some observers immediately connected the extra space to Crosby. The 29-year-old edge rusher carries a $30 million base salary in 2026.
“If the Cowboys want to make a significant trade before the deadline later this season, theoretically they would have the room to do so,” Archer said. “Last year, the Cowboys added Pro Bowl defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets with a trade deadline deal.”
Adam Schefter of ESPN posted that the reworked deals give Dallas flexibility as the 2026 season starts or allow unused space to roll into 2027.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk noted the coincidence in salary figures.
“With more than $30 million in 2026 cap space now on hand, the Cowboys have plenty of space to absorb a veteran contract (or two) via trade. Coincidentally, or not, Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby has a 2026 base salary of $30 million. Just saying.”
Dallas has spent the last year trying to rebuild its pass rush after trading Micah Parsons to Green Bay. The Cowboys managed only two players with more than 3.5 sacks last season.
Jadeveon Clowney led the team with 8.5 sacks and is now with Houston. Osa Odighizuwa paced Dallas in pressures with 52 and signed with San Francisco.
The Cowboys added Rashan Gary in a trade, signed veteran Von Miller and drafted Malachi Lawrence and Jaishawn Barham in the first and third rounds this spring. Those moves improved the group but did not restore it to elite status.
Crosby has posted double-digit sacks in three of the past four seasons. He has also generated 50 or more pressures in each of the last five years, according to Pro Football Focus.
Any trade would carry a high cost. The earlier Ravens discussion centered on a package that included two first-round draft picks, and the Raiders would likely seek a similar haul if they move Crosby now.
Whether the latest cap work is aimed at Crosby or simply gives Jerry Jones more options remains unclear. The extra room, however, has the rumor mill turning again as the season gets underway.
