The Las Vegas Raiders made the right call by extending Maxx Crosby earlier in the offseason. Just months later, his $35.5 million average annual salary pales in comparison to what the new market is for top-flight defensive ends or edge rushers.
On Thursday, the Dallas Cowboys made the shocking move to trade superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers. Upon his arrival in Green Bay, he will reportedly sign a four-year deal worth up to $188 million, which averages out to $47 million per year.
While the Raiders allegedly made a call to inquire about Parsons, the thought was that he would be both too expensive and cost too much draft capital for it to be worthwhile for Las Vegas. When looking at the contract details, however, the Raiders might've been able to swing it easily.
Raiders should have dealt Christian Wilkins to Cowboys for Micah Parsons
All it cost the Packers to acquire Parsons was two first-round picks and veteran defensive tackle Kenny Clark. Raider Nation, and most others, thought it may cost a player, two first-rounders, at least one second-rounder, two thirds, and perhaps a smattering of late-round swaps to get Parsons.
Hindsight is always 20/20, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones insisted that he only started entertaining the idea of trading Parsons very recently. However, it seems like this package may have been enough to pry the 26-year-old superstar from Dallas:
Jones lamented the importance of stopping the run during his post-trade press conference on Thursday evening. Wilkins, whose tenure with the Raiders ended unceremoniously, is one of the best run-stopping defensive tackles in the league. Plus, he's the exact same age as Clark.
RELATED: Raiders gifted opportunity to reunite with (yet another) former first-rounder
Giving up two first-rounders would have been tough, as the team has potentially selected two game-changing players in the first round over the last two years with Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty. However, there is no guarantee that future players will work out, and Parsons is a bona fide star.
This also would have saved the headache that Wilkins and his shocking release caused, as well as his looming NFLPA grievance that could drag on for who knows how long. Given that the Raiders would have been offloading Wilkins' hefty contract, they could have easily made it work with Parsons.
Retaining picks on Day 2 of the NFL Draft is also important, and was not necessarily part of the equation that Raider Nation had in mind before Parsons was dealt. Obviously, this is all water under the bridge, but it's hard not to think about what could have been.