Things are heating up for Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby, who many expect to be traded before the start of NFL free agency next week. The question is, if traded, where is he headed?

Both CBS’ Jonathan Jones and ESPN’s Adam Schefter have pointed out two teams as serious contenders for landing Crosby: the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears.

Who is better positioned out of the two to make the strongest push? That’s the question we set out to answer with the help of our Bears writer Kole Noble, Cowboy writer Mauricio Rodriguez, and Raiders writer Justin Churchill.

Note: While the Cowboys and Bears were explicitly mentioned by Schefter and Jones, more teams are likely keeping tabs on Crosby.

Bears’ DJ Moore trade complicates Crosby trade

Noble: The decision to trade DJ Moore doesn’t slam the door on the Chicago Bears’ chances of landing Maxx Crosby like some initially thought. Yes, DJ Moore would have been a great asset to include in the deal to lower the expected draft pick price, but the Bears are still fully in the conversation when it comes to acquiring Crosby.

However, what that compensation looks like now is worrisome.

General manager Ryan Poles essentially signaled that he’s willing to put the team’s future in jeopardy to make a big swing for the Las Vegas Raiders’ stud pass rusher. Does that mean trading multiple first-round picks? I certainly hope not, but that’s the price the Raiders are hoping to get in return.

Chicago did get one advantage from trading Moore by netting a 2026 second-round pick in return, giving Chicago four selections in the Top-100 of April’s draft.

The absolute max package for the Bears would be moving the 25th overall pick and multiple seconds (one in 2026 and one in 2027) along with throwing in linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who’s still 27 years old and could give the Raiders a starting-caliber player on defense.

Any thought of moving multiple firsts has to be met with caution for Chicago. You can’t throw away the team’s future, even for a player like Crosby, like the Green Bay Packers did with Micah Parsons. This is still something the Bears can look to pull off, even after trading Moore, but Ryan Poles needs to have some guardrails set up and a limit he’s not willing to go over to make it happen.

Cowboys are unlikely to give up two firsts

Rodriguez: The fact that multiple insiders have insisted on the Cowboys being in the mix for Crosby—plus the fact that they’re positioned with two picks in the Top 20—makes me think there’s some merit to their chances of making such a splash.

But long story short, it sounds like giving up two first-rounders is a little too rich for their taste.

According to Cowboys insider Jane Slater, as of Thursday afternoon, Dallas “would not give up two first rounders” for Crosby. Though Slater noted that could change, it sounds like NFL teams expect the price tag for Crosby to be lowered ahead of free agency.

If that is the case, I could see the Cowboys up giving up one first-round pick plus some more. Maybe adding a standout player, like DT Osa Odighizuwa, could work. Maybe it’s a 2027 second-round pick instead. A Micah Parsons-esque haul? I’d rule it out solely based on how they’ve done things for years.

This is a front office that values its picks so much that it hasn’t traded up in the first round since 2012.

Additionally, a couple of recent reports suggest the Cowboys are already pivoting.

Insider Trey Wingo recently reported the Cowboys are pivoting to Cincinnati Bengals pending free agent DE Trey Hendrickson, partly because of Crosby’s price tag being too elevated. Peter Schrager also said Hendrickson makes sense for Dallas.

Where does Crosby end up?

Churchill: If you asked me two weeks ago what I thought would happen between Maxx Crosby and the Raiders, I’d have told you he stays put. When I’m asked today, my answer is still the same, but for very different reasons.

In the beginning it seemed like smoke—Crosby doing his annual screen making it known that the Raiders have to get this one right, or he’s not afraid to skip town. Now, it feels like he’s really does want out, but he’s staying put because other teams don’t want to give up what Vegas is asking for. And, it all makes sense.

What’s happening right now, Crosby not addressing the rumors and reports continuing to grow, is the Pro Bowl edge rusher using his agent to try and push a trade through. At least that’s how it looks from the outside.

He doesn’t want the fan base to turn on him so he’s not formally asking for a trade, but instead his agent is doing a lot of work. Because of this, it’s hard to see him moved anywhere, and especially not to a team who won’t give the Raiders what they not only want, but need as they rebuild. This time they are actually rebuilding, and they need all the assets possible to do that.

General manager John Spytek noted that the Raiders are in the business of having good players. Trading Crosby away is the opposite of having good players. Trading him away for less compensation, which will be hard to get more good players, just doesn’t seem like something Vegas is interested in.

My prediction is Crosby stays put, and if he is moved, it won’t be to either of these two teams, unless the Raiders change their asking price.

Dallas Cowboys News

Should Dallas Cowboys give up two first-round picks for Maxx Crosby? It all depends on one thing

There’s a lot of chatter going on about potential trade compensation for Maxx Crosby if the Dallas Cowboys decide to pull the trigger.

Mauricio Rodriguez