Cowboys' salary cap space at trade deadline paves way for major splash

The Dallas Cowboys were at home over the weekend while anxiously waiting for a crucial Week 9 showdown with the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football, but you wouldn't have known that by looking at the headlines.

While 12 games were on the NFL schedule for Sunday, the morning talk shows were fixated on the upcoming trade deadline, and the Cowboys' name continued to surface.

Dallas has been linked to several high-profile defensive players in the past few weeks, including pass rushers like Cincinnati Bengals star Trey Hendrickson, who led the league in sacks in 2024, and Las Vegas Raiders fan-favorite Maxx Crosby.

MORE: Cowboys trade rumors heating up ahead of 'aggressive' deadline approach

Conversations surrounding those players appeared to have died down, but they were reignited with new reports on Sunday morning and heartbreaking losses for Cincy and Vegas on Sunday afternoon.

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby warms up before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Following the Bengals' loss, reports surfaced that the Bengals were now open to the idea of trading Hendrickson and that the Cowboys had "made a call."

After the Raiders' devastating overtime loss, Crosby sent out a cryptic message on social media that caught the attention of many fans and reporters. The Cowboys were rumored to have previously "inquired" about the Raiders star, and there could now be a big chance for Dallas to re-enter the conversation.

MORE: Cowboys legend urges Jerry Jones to add pass-rushing star at trade deadline

The biggest concern linking superstars to the Cowboys is Jerry Jones' history of blaming the salary cap for his inability to spend after locking up Dak Prescott to a long-term deal. Crosby signed a three-year, $106.5 million extension with Las Vegas in March 2025, and Hendrickson is due a blockbuster deal in a contract year.

That could cause the Cowboys to shy away from that type of a splash move, but it shouldn't, because it is not reality. The updated list of NFL salary cap space entering the trade deadline lists the Cowboys with the second-most available space entering Tuesday with $31.5 million.

Available NFL salary cap space entering trade deadline

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft meet before a game at Gillette Stadium. | David Butler II-Imagn Images

The Cowboys' $31.5 million in available cap space trails only the New England Patriots ($54.4 million). The division rival Washington Commanders are the only other team in the league with more than $25 million available, sitting at $27.4 million, according to Spotrac.

New England Patriots $54.4 million
Dallas Cowboys $31.5 million
Washington Commanders $27.4 million
Cleveland Browns $23.9 million
Detroit Lions $21.9 million
San Francisco 49ers $20.6 million
Pittsburgh Steelers $20.5 million
Seattle Seahawks $20.3 million
Carolina Panthers $19.8 million
Tennessee Titans $18.6 million
Minnesota Vikings $16.4 million
Tampa Bay Buccaneers $16.3 million
Arizona Cardinals $15.7 million
Baltimore Ravens $15 million
Denver Broncos $12.1 million
New York Jets $11.8 million
Jacksonville Jaguars $11.7 million
Green Bay Packers $11.3 million
Houston Texans $11.3 million
New Orleans Saints $11 million
Los Angeles Rams $9.8 million
Philadelphia Eagles $9.7 million
Cincinnati Bengals $9.4 million
Las Vegas Raiders $7.8 million
Chicago Bears $6.7 million
New York Giants $5.5 million
Atlanta Falcons $5 million
Miami Dolphins $4 million
Kansas City Chiefs $3.3 million
Indianapolis Colts $3 million
Los Angeles Chargers $2.4 million
Buffalo Bills $1.6 million

Let's see if Jerry puts the money to good use. The 2025 NFL trade deadline is set for Tuesday, November 4, at 4:00 p.m. ET.

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