New reports suggest the Baltimore Ravens called off the Crosby trade due to finding a degenerative issue in his knee despite good reports from Crosby and his surgeon. Now, both the Raiders and Ravens are in much different spots.
Earlier this month, in one of the wildest moments in recent football memory, the Las Vegas Raiders were involved in a trade rescission with the Baltimore Ravens. The deal was centered around star edge rusher Maxx Crosby, who would be heading to Baltimore in exchange for two first-round picks in 2026 and 2027.
It was a blockbuster move that significantly altered both the Raiders and Ravens, as the Ravens looked to gain a real needle-mover while the Raiders dove headfirst into their future. The deal was short-lived, however, as the Ravens suddenly pulled out of the deal, leaving football fans confused and in disbelief.
The deal was called off due to Baltimore’s concern about Crosby’s knee, which he had just undergone surgery on back in January. This wasn't a secret, but when Crosby arrived and completed the scans and tests necessary, the Ravens’ doctors felt strongly enough about Crosby’s knee for the team to call off the deal.
Now, in a new report from ESPN’s Ryan McFadden, the concern wasn't about Crosby’s ability to play in 2026, but rather his outlook over the next couple of seasons due to a “degenerative issue in his knee.”
Baltimore came to this conclusion after not just the team’s doctors, but also a handful of doctors outside of the organization weighed in on the state of Crosby’s knee. Interestingly, one of those doctors is the Dallas Cowboys' team doctor, Dan Cooper.
The Cowboys have had their names attached to Crosby since the rumors of a possible trade first began. Seeing their team doctor having a say in the completion of the Ravens-Raiders trade is certainly an interesting piece of the story revealed by McFadden. If a late move is pulled off by the Cowboys to land Crosby before the 2026 season, this piece of the story is sure to be looked back on by all in the football world.
Despite the reported degenerative issue with Crosby’s knee, the 28-year-old and his surgeon believe everything is going as planned in his recovery from surgery.
"He is certainly on track in his planned program. ... He feels very well and is already much improved compared to before surgery,” Dr. Neal ElAttrache told ESPN.
There is still doubt around the validity of Baltimore’s claims, however, as the Ravens quickly moved on to sign edge Trey Hendrickson to a $112 million deal just 13 hours after the Crosby deal was rescinded.
The deal has led many to believe the Ravens have started to regret their deal with Las Vegas, choosing to take back the deal, their two first-round picks, and sign another star edge whose market dried up. Ravens executive Eric DeCosta denies the claims.
Though there is speculation about the truth, the fact is that Crosby is back in Las Vegas and is preparing to enter 2026 with the Raiders. After a huge free agency window in which they filled many holes on their roster, the Raiders only get better after the Crosby deal was nixed.
Their flurry of free agent signings, capped off with Crosby’s return, has fans in Las Vegas excited about the noise their team could make this year. Barring another surprise deal before the season’s start, Crosby will be in the silver and black yet again in 2026. Now, the question is how he’ll hold up amid reports of his deteriorating knee.