Cowboys' Micah Parsons vs. Raiders' Maxx Crosby: Who's more valuable?

The Dallas Cowboys have their franchise cornerstone in star edge rusher Micah Parsons, who has emerged as one of the best players in the league since he was taken with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Parsons is due for a payday soon, and he should be looking at some of the highest-paid defensive contracts in the league for inspiration on his new deal.

One player who fits that bill is Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby, who just signed a three-year, $106.5 million extension.

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Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox believes that Parsons is a better player as he went before Crosby in his fantasy draft of non-quarterbacks.

Nov 29, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) and Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) embrace during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

"The Las Vegas Raiders haven't been good over the past few seasons, but they have two players they could lose in a veteran re-draft: edge-rusher Maxx Crosby and tight end Brock Bowers," Knox writes.

"However, the Raiders opt to take their chances here and use the sixth pick on Micah Parsons. Crosby is awesome, but he's two years older than Parsons. Both experienced injury-shortened seasons in 2024, but Parsons had 4.5 more sacks despite playing in only one more game.

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"Choosing Parsons over Crosby isn't as simple as some might think. The latter is the centerpiece of Patrick Graham's defense and represents everything Las Vegas should want in its team identity.

"However, Parsons has a combination of youth, ability and positional value that makes him worthy of being the first defender off the board. The Raiders flip the switch and hope that either Crosby or Bowers comes back to them post-draft."

This means that Parsons could soon supplant Crosby as the defensive player with the most guaranteed money in the NFL when he joins the Cowboys front office at the negotiating table.

Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons (11) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

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