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If the Dallas Cowboys do make a trade for an edge rusher before the Nov. 10 trade deadline, they have to swing for the fences.
That's because a minor addition isn't likely to change the fortune of a defense that has been awful this season. The problem is that elite edge rushers are rarely available, and when they are, teams are lining up down the block to acquire them and the price is high.
The Cowboys did try to pull off a blockbuster trade for Maxx Crosby back in March, but they were thwarted by the Baltimore Ravens, who ended up nixing the trade over a failed physical.
That seemed to close the door on a potential Crosby trade for the Cowboys, and that especially seemed to be the case after Crosby re-committed to the Las Vegas Raiders.
However, The Ringer's Tom Pelissero believes there is still a chance Crosby gets moved ahead of the deadline.
The reason for that has to do with the fact that Pelissero thinks the Raiders are still going to field calls on Crosby and if a big offer the likes of which the Chicago Bears sent the Tennessee Titans for Jeffery Simmons is on Raiders general manager Jon Spytek's desk, all bets are off.
"Maxx Crosby wants to be a Raider, he has no desire to leave, and he is definitely not forcing his way out. But GM John Spytek is sure to get calls over the next 10 days, leaving open the possibility of another blockbuster," Pelissero wrote.
"If a 29-year-old Jeffrey Simmons can get traded for two first-round picks and more, why can’t a 29-year-old Maxx Crosby?" Pelissero asked. "And if the Raiders were willing to trade him for that package in March, why wouldn’t they do it again now if the value is there to accelerate their rebuild?"
The Cowboys will probably have to throw a Godfather-style offer at the Raiders to get Crosby like the Bears did to the Titans in a deal that included two first-round picks and a swap of Day 3 selections.
The Ravens pulled off their March deal for Crosby after giving up two first-rounders, so that's the least the Raiders will likely take.
We say "the least" because it's possible the price has gone up since the Raiders might be less inclined to trade him because of the messy situation it would create now that Crosby wants to stay.
The Cowboys weren't willing to offer two first-rounders back in March and it's hard to know if their stance has changed since.
It's possible their stance has given how bad the Cowboys have looked on defense, but it's also possible it hasn't because of how little draft capital the Cowboys have currently. Granted, they do have first-round picks in 2027 and 2028, but Dallas has just 10 selections in total between those two years.
We tend to believe Crosby isn't going anywhere, but after seeing the Simmons deal go down, and knowing the sense of urgency Jones has expressed in recent years, never say never.
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