The Las Vegas Raiders had a Maxx Crosby trade in place with the Baltimore Ravens, but a failed physical sent Crosby back to Las Vegas.
Just when we thought the Maxx Crosby-Las Vegas Raiders saga was over with a trade to the Baltimore Ravens, another chapter has been added.
The Raiders agreed to send Crosby to the Ravens in exchange for two first-round picks in the next two drafts, but Baltimore backed out just before the new league year started because Crosby failed his physical.
Well, of course he failed his physical! Crosby had his MCL surgically repaired just a couple of months ago and every team knew that, including the Ravens. But the Ravens saw something it didn’t like regarding the long-term outlook of Crosby’s knee, so the franchise opted to sign standout free agent defensive end Trey Hendrickson to a lucrative deal instead.
Baltimore thought it was going to pair both of them together, not get one or the other. So, does that leave the door open for the Ravens to trade for Crosby later down the line? Maybe, but regardless of whether the Ravens are bidding in the Crosby sweepstakes again, it seems like his departure from the Raiders is a matter of when, not if.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano said it would be an overreaction to say Crosby won’t play for a new team in 2026.
Although last week’s debacle keeps Crosby in Las Vegas for now, Graziano notes that trade talks are likely to intensify around the draft and could pick up anytime after that and into the season.
“There will be other pockets of time this offseason when trade talks for these and other players flare back up,” Graziano wrote Monday.
“As the draft gets closer, teams start to get more serious about trades, because waiting until after the draft means waiting a year to use the picks you get in return for players. If not before the draft, talks for these players could heat back up after June 1…”
Graziano is referring to Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown when he says “these players.” He believes that both Crosby and Brown very well could play for their respective teams at the beginning of the season, but the chances they get moved by the trade deadline next season are great.
Crosby is deserving of playing for a contender at this stage in his career, and although the Raiders made a ton of nice signings to help speed up the rebuild, it doesn’t seem like he will be fighting for a playoff spot this season. General Manager John Spytek did say he expected Crosby to be a Raider in 2026, but I doubt Crosby wants to spend another year of his career on a non-playoff team despite his loyalty to the franchise.
Crosby is a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time second-team All-Pro with 69.5 sacks to his name in 110 career games. He has 133 tackles for loss and led the National Football League in that category in 2022 and 2023. Crosby picked up his lone interception this season against Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears, a team to watch for a possible trade among others.