Cowboys Should do Everything Possible to Trade for Maxx Crosby

Dallas needs a pass rusher and the Raiders need a wide receiver, the two teams should be negotiating a trade that's a win-win for both squads.

Dec 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) on the field after loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

With the start of the 2026 NFL season now just one week away on March 11, the news is beginning to pick up. We've already seen two stars traded with the Detroit Lions shipping running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans, and the Kansas City Chiefs trading star cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams. Those trades will become official next week when the new season starts. 

We expect to see plenty more trades in the coming weeks, days, or even hours. It is widely expected that the Las Vegas Raiders will trade their standout defensive end, Maxx Crosby. If the Raiders get serious about moving him and he does, in fact, become available, there will be a ton of teams that will come knocking to acquire his services. One team even has the pieces to make a huge blockbuster deal. 

Dallas Cowboys - Las Vegas Raiders Mock Trade

Dallas Cowboys Receive

DE - Maxx Crosby

Las Vegas Raiders Receive

WR - George Pickens

Fantasy Impact

For IDP owners, there is no reason to believe that Crosby wouldn't maintain his value in Dallas. Playing on the same line as Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark should only make his life easier. He's an elite pass rusher and strong run stopper, who would be a difference maker in Dallas. Crosby is still only 28 years old and has plenty left in the tank. We would view him as a high-end DE1 in IDP leagues. 

With Pickens being shipped to Las Vegas, while he would become riskier, he could also gain some upside. He would be locked in as their undisputed WR1 with very little competition on the outside. A lot of his value would depend on how you feel about likely first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza. The value of both Mendoza and Pickens would be interlocked. At the very least, we'd expect him to be competent enough to allow Pickens to produce WR1 numbers. We like this move for both Mendoza and Pickens. 

Why The Trade Makes Sense For The Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys have made strong efforts to address their horrific defense by making big trades. They acquired both Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson with in-season trades in 2025. We know Jerry Jones likes big splashes, and this would be about as big a splash as they could make. Dallas needs a pass rush much more than they need a WR2 across from CeeDee Lamb, even a wide receiver as good as Pickens. 

Why The Trade Makes Sense For The Las Vegas Raiders

Vegas is fully expected to draft Mendoza with the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but they don't have any wide receivers on the outside for him to throw to. Their offense has been bad for a long time, and Pickens could go a long way in helping them build it. If all of a sudden they had Mendoza, Pickens, Ashton Jeanty, and Brock Bowers, they would have a scary young stable of offensive weapons. This deal would also have to come with an extension for Pickens.