The Baltimore Ravens have acquired star edge rusher Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders in a blockbuster trade.
The Baltimore Ravens have acquired star edge rusher Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders in a blockbuster trade.
The five-time Pro Bowler was informed by Raiders general manager John Spytek of the trade this morning.
The deal is set to be official when the league year begins.
As for the return, the Ravens will send two first-round picks to Las Vegas. This is the first time in Baltimore’s 31-year history that the franchise will use a first-round pick to trade for a player.
The Ravens will exchange the 2026 and 2027 first-round picks to acquire Crosby.
Ravens head coach Jesse Minter is already implementing his defensive-minded style as he acquires Crosby after a season where Baltimore recorded its fewest sacks in 15 years.
Moreover, this sets the tone for the Raiders’ 2026 season as the organization attempts to rebuild after parting ways with its biggest star in Crosby. Las Vegas holds the No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft, and early indications suggest the team could select Fernando Mendoza, the quarterback out of Indiana.
The Raiders are hoping Mendoza develops into the franchise quarterback they’ve been searching for, a position the organization has struggled to solidify for years.
As for the Ravens, the move signals a win-now mentality. After an inconsistent and disappointing 2025 season, Baltimore is determined to reestablish itself as one of the league’s true juggernauts, just as it has been for much of the past several years.
Crosby could certainly put them over the top. Pass rush was one of the necessities for the Ravens this offseason, and they just snagged one of the best ones in the league. The 28-year-old is coming off a solid 2025 season.
In 15 games, Crosby recorded 73 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, six passes defended, two forced fumbles, and one interception. The Raiders shut down Crosby for the final two games of the season due to a nagging and severe knee injury.
He wanted to play and finish the season on the field; however, the Raiders kept him from doing so. Crosby was frustrated with the team’s decision to stop him.
Now that is the thing of the past as Crosby could be just what the Ravens need to get over the hump. The Ravens have experienced short-coming after short-coming, and this could be what they need in order to be the last team standing by the end of the 2026 season.