The Dallas Cowboys entered the offseason hoping to land one of the NFL’s most disruptive defenders. Instead, the sweepstakes for Maxx Crosby ended abruptly when the Las Vegas Raiders shipped the star edge rusher to the Baltimore Ravens for a massive package that included two first-round picks.
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For Dallas, the move closed the door on a blockbuster trade but opened another conversation about where the team turns next to rebuild its pass rush.
According to CBS Sports analyst Garrett Podell, the Cowboys are now likely scanning a free agent class that still features several high-end options.
“I think they turned their eyes toward a free agent market that’s pretty deep at some higher-end pass rush options,” Podell said while discussing Dallas’ next steps.
Podell highlighted three players who could make sense for the Cowboys as they look to upgrade a defense that struggled to pressure quarterbacks last season. At the top of the list is Trey Hendrickson, one of the league’s most consistent sack artists in recent years. Hendrickson led the NFL in sacks during the 2024 season and has produced multiple double-digit sack campaigns.
Podell believes a player with that kind of track record would immediately address one of Dallas’ biggest weaknesses.
“Of course you have the 2024 sacks leader Trey Hendrickson who’s going to be available,” Podell said.
Another name Podell pointed to is Jaelan Phillips, who finished the 2025 season among the league’s top ten in quarterback pressures. Phillips began the year with the Miami Dolphins before being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles at the deadline, where he continued to generate pressure off the edge.
“Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher Jaelan Phillips ended the year top ten in quarterback pressures after going from the Miami Dolphins to the Eagles at the trade deadline,” Podell noted.
The third option Podell mentioned is Odafe Oweh, a younger defender who finished the season strongly after joining the Los Angeles Chargers following his time with the Baltimore Ravens. Oweh even set a Chargers playoff record with three sacks in a single game against the New England Patriots.
“And then maybe there’s someone a little younger like Odafe Oweh from the Chargers,” Podell said. “He came on strong in the second half of the season… and set the Chargers single-game playoff sacks record sacking New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye three times.”
With those options still available, Podell believes the Cowboys could remain active as they reshape the roster. Dallas has already been restructuring contracts to create cap space, suggesting the front office is preparing to make at least one notable defensive addition.
Still, the franchise must balance aggression with long-term roster planning. Podell explained that the Cowboys are unlikely to sacrifice too many premium draft picks after already committing large contracts to several offensive stars.
Podell also pointed out why maintaining those picks matters for Dallas moving forward.
“They’re paying a lot of offensive players top dollar, whether it’s Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb,” he explained. “They extended left guard Tyler Smith to the top of the guard market last year, and they’re looking at another near top-of-the-market deal for wide receiver George Pickens.”
Because of those contracts, Podell believes Dallas must rely on younger, cost-controlled talent to rebuild a defense that finished the 2025 season as the NFL’s worst scoring unit.
Missing out on Crosby was clearly a disappointment for Dallas, but with several productive pass rushers still available, the Cowboys may still have multiple paths to fixing one of the roster’s biggest issues before the 2026 season begins.
