Grading the trade in Baltimore Ravens landing Maxx Crosby in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders.
The NFL world was shaken on Friday with the announcement that the Las Vegas Raiders and Baltimore Ravens engaged in a trade for defensive end Maxx Crosby.
Crosby was sent to the Raiders in exchange for two first-round picks and no other compensation. With the dust having settled on the straight-up deal for the perennial pass rusher, here are the grades for the trade.
Las Vegas Raiders
Receive: No. 14 overall pick in 2026, first-round pick in 2027
It is hard not to love this move by the Las Vegas Raiders. With already having the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, they now have two selections in the top 15.
With Indiana's Fernando Mendoza set to be the Raiders' franchise quarterback, they can then use the No. 14 pick on any number of selections to begin to build around Mendoza.
They could go offensive line by landing Miami's Francis Mauigoa, Penn State's Vega Ioane, or even go pass catcher. Either way, the team has plenty of options.
Maxx Crosby is also 29 years old and is coming off a nagging knee injury. The Raiders played the waiting game, and though they had multiple offers, passing up two first-round picks was something they couldn't do, and rightfully so.
Grade: A+
Baltimore Ravens
Receive: Maxx Crosby
Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta had a lot of people fooled. Even though he admitted the team would go against the grain for free agency in landing "big ticket" items, he also walked back those comments at the NFL Combine.
DeCosta indicated the Ravens would not be very active in their pursuit of big-name players. That was until the possibility of landing Crosby came along.
Crosby is the kind of game-wrecking player that any team would be a fool to pass up if he were available. That appeared to be the case, and whatever conversations DeCosta was having with John Spytek, the information shared was two first-round picks.
Baltimore badly needed a pass rusher, and whether or not they could have gotten someone cheaper in free agency, landing a force like Crosby was something they could not pass on.
Crosby is 29 years old and is coming off a knee ailment that plagued his 2025 season. Even so, he managed to land 10 sacks.
Crosby will not only elevate the Ravens' defense, but he will help to stabilize the pass rush in a way that Jesse Minter and Anthony Weaver can plan to utilize Kyle Hamilton and everyone around in new ways.
Losing two first-round picks will be tough to deal with, but Baltimore's having never done so to land a player like Crosby was necessary. The lower A grade given here is simply due to his age and injury history.
Grade: A-