Bears, Cowboys Among Potential Maxx Crosby Suitors; New Contract In Play?

The Raiders reportedly have a sky-high asking price for defensive end Maxx Crosby, but that is not stopping teams from pursuing the the five-time Pro Bowler. The Bears and Cowboys are among teams to watch in the Crosby derby, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports.

The Cowboys have been in the market for a superstar pass rusher since they traded Micah Parsons to the Packers last August. The Packers sent two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark to the Cowboys for the 26-year-old Parsons.

The Raiders have been holding out for a Parsons-like return for Crosby, though it may be unrealistic for someone entering his age-29 season. Teams are willing to part with more than a first-rounder for Crosby, according to Jones, but it is unclear what the rest of the proposed packages look like.

Parsons required a raise when the Cowboys shipped him out of town. Crosby already got one last March when the Raiders extended him on a three-year, $106.5MM pact with $91.5MM in guarantees. It’s unclear whether he will seek another adjustment to his contract this offseason, per Jones. If Crosby wants another pay increase, the Raiders would lose leverage in trade talks. However, at least one high-level source told Jones that Crosby would be willing to play next season on his current pact.

With 73 tackles, 28 TFL, 20 QB hits, 10 sacks, six passes defensed and two forced fumbles over 15 games in 2025, Crosby continued to wreak havoc in Year 7 of his career. However, Crosby’s season ended with a spat between him and his organization.

Crosby battled a nagging knee injury for a large portion of the campaign, leading the Raiders to place him on IR ahead of a Week 17 matchup against the Giants. Both teams were vying for the worst record in the NFL and the No. 1 pick at the time. Crosby made it clear he wanted to win, not tank. The Raiders lost a 34-10 blowout and wound up securing the top selection. They are expected to draft a potential franchise quarterback in Fernando Mendoza, but trade rumors have swirled around Crosby this offseason. That was also the case last offseason before the Raiders extended him.

Along with the way the Raiders handled Crosby at the end of the year, there have been behind-the-scenes issues between him and longtime Tom Brady personal trainer/confidant Alex Guerrero. Crosby has been among those “frustrated by the presence” of Guerrero, the team’s wellness coordinator, Michael Silver of The Athletic writes. Guerrero, a regular at practices and meetings, “purports to possess significant organizational power” and is “perceived to have a direct pipeline to Brady,” Silver adds.

This is not the first time there has been tension centering on Guerrero. When Brady was still the Patriots’ quarterback in 2018, he and Bill Belichick clashed over Guerrero’s growing influence within the organization. Belichick eventually removed Guerrero’s office from the Patriots’ facility. Guerrero followed Brady to Tampa Bay, where he finished his illustrious career from 2020-22. The two have stayed together during Brady’s transition from player to part-owner. Crosby may not be a fan, but that alone won’t lead to a trade. The Raiders are going to require a significant haul in order to part with their best defender.