Frustration boils over. A star pass rusher could be heading to the NFC, reshaping defenses and draft strategies.
The Las Vegas Raiders always find a way to be in the headlines. Toward the final stretch of the season, they decided to shut down star pass rusher Maxx Crosby, which prompted some frustration from the Raider superstar.
Now, there is a scenario where Crosby asks to be traded, and Las Vegas moving him this offseason could make sense for both parties.
Crosby was reportedly "not happy" with the way things went down, and although head coach Pete Carroll was fired, Crosby might be done with the franchise in general.
Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report had some blockbuster trade predictions, and one of them was the Raiders moving on from Crosby and sending him to the Washington Commanders.
He had the Raiders acquiring a package of a 2026 first-round pick (No. 7 overall), 2026 fifth-round pick (No. 145 overall), 2027 first-round pick for Crosby.
"The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported that there's a belief around the league that the Raiders would be open to trading if they can't mend the strained relationship the star pass-rusher has with the franchise," Ballentine wrote.
There are some teams that make sense, such as the Chicago Bears, but finding a way to take on Crosby's pricey contract will be a hurdle for some teams, which is one reason why the Commanders make sense, as Ballentine wrote.
"The Commanders fit the bill. They have around $89.8 million in cap space and the potential to have a huge bounce-back season with a healthy Jayden Daniels next season. Washington's struggles this season gives them the advantage of a top-10 pick to offer to Vegas. Dan Quinn would get the marquee pass-rusher he needs to improve the Commanders defense and the Raiders would be able to potentially add a quarterback at No. 1 and a foundational defensive prospect at No. 7."
Now, imagine Crosby working with Dan Quinn, who is a well-known defensive coordinator and the current Commanders head coach.
Does Crosby have talent? Of course, and a change of scenery might be the best scenario for both sides this offseason. The Raiders are bringing in a new head coach yet again, and they have the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which is most likely going to be Indiana Hoosiers star quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
The proposed package for Crosby would be a solid addition for the Raiders, especially if the Commanders take on all or the majority of his contract, so there could be some phones ringing in the headquarters for the Raiders this offseason.