Rumors swirl as Maxx Crosby's potential move to Chicago ignites hope. Despite injury concerns and a hefty price tag, a growing connection with Caleb Williams fuels the fantasy.
The Chicago Bears have been linked to Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby for months.
This saga began when news broke about the strain in the relationship between Crosby and the Raiders. Crosby played in 15 games and recorded 10 sacks, 73 total tackles and 28 TFLs.
Then, he suffered a meniscus injury that ended his year, or so people thought. Reports surfaced that the Raiders shut Crosby down for the season so they could tank and get the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
A video of Crosby playing basketball on social media raised doubts about how injured he really was.
However, a trade won't be easy.
NFL Analyst Jay Glazer believes teams would have to give up more than two first-round picks for Crosby. The Green Bay Packers gave up two first-round picks and Kenny Clark for Micah Parsons.
Then, there is the issue of waiting for Crosby's injury to heal. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport thinks the injury won't make a trade possible until before the draft.
With all of that to be considered, there is a silver lining.
Crosby had Caleb Williams on his podcast "The Rush With Maxx Crosby," and had nothing but praise for the Bears' quarterback. He even stated that Williams doesn't understand how good he can be.
This should give fans hope that a trade is possible.
"We talked about it earlier, but respect, at a different level, bro," Crosby said. "You're one of those guys for sure, and you're just getting started. I don't even know you understand yet how good you can be, and that's the scariest part. You know what I mean? Just keep that mindset. Like, keep doing what you're doing."
This isn't the first time that Crosby has had good things to say about Williams and the Bears. He praised Williams on the "Let's Go Podcast," talking about the insane throw Williams had in the Divisional Round of the playoffs against the Los Angeles Rams.
He also noted how great a player Williams is in that same episode.
Not only does it appear that Crosby already has a good relationship with Williams, but the move makes sense for the Bears. Chicago had 35 sacks this season, ranking 22nd in the NFL.
At the end of the day, the camaraderie with Crosby and Williams is already there, making it easier to see playing for the same team in 2026.
Adding a proven pass rusher like Crosby to the mix makes sense. We'll have to see if General Manager Ryan Poles is willing give up what he's worth.