The long-running speculation linking the Dallas Cowboys to Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby appears to have reached a definitive end, at least according to the latest reporting.
With the NFL trade deadline nine days away, ESPN’s Adam Schefter indicated on Sunday that the Raiders have no intention of moving Crosby, and that the star defender himself wants to remain in Las Vegas for the long term.
A league source told Schefter that Crosby “absolutely does not want to leave Las Vegas under any circumstances” and hopes to finish his career as a Raider, a stance that contrasts with his more uncertain comments about his future during the previous offseason.
For the Cowboys, this development closes the book on a pursuit that stretched back to late February and early March.
At that time, Dallas floated trade packages built around a first-round selection and additional assets, only for the Raiders to hold firm for two first-round picks.
The Baltimore Ravens ultimately met that demand before backing out over concerns about Crosby’s knee.
Even after that deal fell apart, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones kept the door ajar, telling reporters at training camp in Oxnard that the team had never fully walked away from the idea of acquiring the pass rusher.
Those lingering signals fueled months of chatter that a late deal might still materialize before the deadline.
With Crosby now firmly off the board, Dallas faces limited options if it still hopes to bolster its defensive front.
The team has been connected at times to Arizona Cardinals edge Josh Sweat, yet the Cowboys hold only four picks in next year’s draft, a scarcity that makes a high-cost acquisition difficult.
Jones has already framed the recent addition of cornerback Joey Porter Jr. as the club’s primary offseason or in-season splash, suggesting the franchise is content to move forward with its current group rather than further deplete future assets.
Not everyone is ready to declare the Crosby chapter completely closed.
Longtime Cowboys observer Mike Fisher noted that similar reports of the Raiders having “no plans” to trade Crosby circulated earlier this year before serious talks advanced, and that the word “currently” in Schefter’s reporting could still leave a narrow window open.
For now, though, the clearest signal is that Crosby is staying put, forcing Dallas to look elsewhere—or simply stand pat—as the deadline approaches.
The months of rumors produced plenty of intrigue, but the final decision rests with a player who has made his preference clear.
