Jerry Jones keeps hearing the same question, and it won’t go away: would the Cowboys really move George Pickens if the payoff was a star pass rusher?
Dallas has insisted all offseason that Pickens is not on the block. But the trade chatter keeps circling back, mostly because the Cowboys still have a glaring need for another disruptive edge defender, and that need has a way of making even big names feel available in theory.
Former Cowboys executive Bryan Broaddus pushed the conversation into overdrive by floating a deal that would send Pickens and a first-round pick to the Las Vegas Raiders for Maxx Crosby. The idea was simple enough: if Dallas wants a game-changing defender, Crosby is the kind of player who changes the math.
Bryan Broaddus says he would trade George Pickens and a first round pick RIGHT NOW for Maxx Crosby. Are you approving that deal? pic.twitter.com/Z9Zovt6l3b
- 105.3 The FAN (@1053thefan) July 2, 2026
It’s still just a hypothetical, not a live negotiation. Jerry Jones has repeatedly said Dallas intends to keep Pickens, though the Cowboys have shown before that they’ll pivot when the right opportunity lands in front of them.
And the appeal of Crosby is obvious. Dallas already had one of the league’s most productive offenses last season, but defensive inconsistency kept dragging the team back. Up front, the pass rush remains one of the clearest areas where the roster still needs help.
Crosby would fit that need immediately. He’s a five-time Pro Bowler, and last season he posted 10 sacks, 28 tackles for loss and 20 quarterback hits. He’s also under contract through 2029 after signing a three-year, $106.5 million extension in 2025.
That kind of player doesn’t come cheap, and Dallas would be paying a steep price. Pickens just delivered career-best numbers in his first year with the Cowboys, finishing with 93 catches, 1,429 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. He became a major piece of Dak Prescott’s passing game alongside CeeDee Lamb.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox took the idea even further with a three-team trade involving the Raiders and Tennessee Titans, another scenario that would require Dallas to give up future draft capital and move Pickens out.
For now, there’s no sign the Raiders are actively chasing a deal. But the speculation says plenty about where Dallas stands: the Cowboys are trying to protect one of the NFL’s best passing attacks while also figuring out how to strengthen a defense that’s expected to shoulder more of the load this season.
In Other News...
Raiders May Have Finally Found Maxx Crosby The Help He Needs
For years, the Raiders have leaned on Maxx Crosby to carry their pass rush, and this offseason they finally gave him a proven running mate in Kwity Paye. The move gives Las Vegas a potential No. 2 edge rusher for the 2026 season, a role the defense has been trying to fill while Rob Leonard looks for more consistent pressure up front.
Paye joins a group that also includes Keyron Crawford and Malcolm Koonce, though Koonce is still working back from a knee injury. The hope is straightforward: if Paye can supply steady production opposite Crosby, the Raiders defense should look a lot less one-dimensional, and the pressure on Crosby to do everything himself could start to ease. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Fans Wont Like The Latest Maxx Crosby Trade Rumor
The chatter around Maxx Crosby is starting to sound familiar again, and Raiders fans have heard this kind of thing before. With Dallas searching for answers after a rough 2025 on defense, the Cowboys have been tied to the idea of chasing one of the leagues most disruptive edge rushers, even though Crosby kept producing through injuries and remained one of Las Vegas most important defenders.
The latest version of the rumor comes with a twist because it hinges on a player whose own future is still unsettled in Dallas. George Pickens recently got the franchise tag, but that has not stopped people from wondering whether the Cowboys could use him as part of a bigger swing for Crosby, which is exactly the sort of speculation that tends to linger when a star pass rusher is involved and no deal is actually on the table. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Are Waiting To See If Jermod McCoy Changes Everything
The Raiders spent part of the spring taking a careful look at Jermod McCoy, the rookie cornerback they grabbed in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft after his first-round talent made him one of the more intriguing names in the class. Las Vegas has treated his offseason work as a health-and-readiness project, easing him through the process with an eye on getting him to training camp in the best possible shape.
McCoys athleticism is not in question, and the coaching staff has made clear there is real optimism about what he could add if he stays on the field. What makes this one worth watching for the Raiders is the possibility that a patient approach now could pay off in a major way later, especially if his summer progress keeps matching the upside that drew the team to him in the first place. [Read more 🡒]