The Dallas Cowboys are making headlines this week with former ESPN personality and current YouTuber Trey Wingo reporting the franchise is inquiring after Maxx Crosby. The Las Vegas Raiders star pass rusher makes a great deal of sense for Dallas when you consider the issues in the pass rush. Already, Crosby is under contract beyond this season, signing a three-year $106 million extension earlier this year. This takes away all the pressure of having to acquire and pay the star, spending the draft picks you received in exchange for Micah Parsons for a replacement.
Crosby already has 4.0 sacks and an interception this season despite playing in a Raiders defense that is obviously limited. When the veteran is healthy, you're going to get double-digit sacks and a consistent impact off the outside edge. This is evidenced by the 14.5 sacks in 2023 when Crosby remained healthy for the bulk of the year. However, as exciting as this addition might be to consider, there is one clear hurdle to making the move. Signing George Pickens and adding Crosby simply cannot coexist with the current cap limitations for Dallas.
The Cowboys Cannot Afford to Pay Both Maxx Crosby and George Pickens in 2026
The Cowboys are projected to have only $31 million in cap space in the 2026 offseason. This is exactly enough to pay Pickens what he has earned and move money around to make minor additions. Dak Prescott is a scheduled $50.5 million 2026 cap hit, with CeeDee Lamb coming in at a cool $15 million before his numbers begin to shoot up the following season as well.
All of this sets the stage for the fact that you cannot bring in Crosby, who is due to be a $35 million 2026 cap hit, and expect to retain Pickens. There simply isn't the money, even if the Cowboys push contracts further into the future. The star pass catcher would have to be willing to give Dallas a discount. Something that seems incredibly unlikely when you consider the receiver is yet to cash in on free agency.
This is the first time that Pickens has had some level of control over his salary and landing spot. If the Cowboys acquire Crosby, it is going to be a very short-term arrangement between the Cowboys and Pickens. As badly as the franchise needs a star edge rushing presence, it is easy to argue they should be looking elsewhere.
Boiling it down simply, you cannot field a competitive team and pay both Crosby and Pickens. The cap makes it impossible after already paying both Prescott and Lamb over the last two years. With this in mind, as exciting as the potential trade might be, there will be a portion of Dallas fans unwilling to pay the high cost.
Pickens has simply meant too much to this offense and shown incredible chemistry with Dak to throw it away. As great as adding Crosby might be, it comes with a high price that the franchise should be unwilling to pay after the incredible production from Pickens.