A disgruntled star pass rusher, a new coach, and trade speculation swirl as the Raiders face a pivotal offseason decision.
Once again, the Las Vegas Raiders enter the offseason with a new coach.
After a disastrous year with Pete Carroll, the Raiders moved on and then hired Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak to be the new man in charge.
Kubiak hasn't wasted any time filling out his staff, and the expectation is that Indiana Hoosiers star quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza will be the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Geno Smith era was a mess, and now they also face an uncertain future with star pass rusher Maxx Crosby.
Crosby was held out of the final games of the season, and he was not at all happy about the team's decision.
That means a trade is certainly possible, and Crosby should have plenty of suitors lining up to make offers to Las Vegas this offseason.
Daniel Velante and Matthew Washington of The Score had one question for every AFc team, and obviously, this one was about Crosby.
Will Crosby remain with the team?
At this point, who knows? Crosby has spent his entire NFL career with the Raiders, but he wants to win, and rightfully so. The way things ended in the 2025 season didn't help that cause, so he could ask to be traded to a contender this offseason.
ESPN's Bill Barnwell even had some potential trade proposals, and one of them was Crosby going to the Chicago Bears in exchange for WR DJ Moore and a late first-round pick in 2026.
That would be fun for Crosby to join a talented team such as the Bears, and the Raiders would gain assets by moving away from the star pass rusher.
However, Kubiak and owner Mark Davis recently said that they want Crosby on the team, and why wouldn't they? When he is healthy, he is one of the best pass rushers in the league and a Pro Bowl talent (although being a Pro Bowler doesn't mean what it used to, thanks to Joe Flacco and Shedeur Sanders).
Free agency begins in March, and if the Raiders are smart, they would try to work out a trade prior to the NFL Draft in April, especially if a first-round pick is on the table.
Only time will tell if Crosby is wearing silver and black again in 2026, or if the star pass rusher plays for another team for the first time in his NFL career.