By all accounts, the Las Vegas Raiders and star pass-rusher Maxx Crosby plan to continue their working relationship through the offseason after the Raiders tried to trade him to the Baltimore Ravens for two first-round draft picks.
It sounds like some around the league think Raiders general manager John Spytek could be willing to speak with interested clubs about Crosby’s future later in the year.
Maxx Crosby may have to do this if he wants to be traded at some point
Per Heavy’s Dave Holcomb, league insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated spoke about the situation involving Crosby and the Raiders during a recent edition of “The MMQB NFL Podcast.”
“If he’s going to be traded, I think it’s going to have to come after Maxx Crosby gets back on the field and plays really well, so people will forget about everything that just happened,” Breer explained.
Breer was referencing how the Ravens backed out of the trade for Crosby because he failed a physical for reasons related to the meniscus repair he needed earlier this offseason. Crosby reportedly requested a trade following the 2025 season, but he allegedly now may not be cleared for football-related activities until “June or early July.”
The Raiders have Crosby under contract via a three-year, $106.5M extension he inked last offseason. It’s now assumed the Raiders have basically taken him off the market, if only because concerns about how his knee will hold up have impacted what would-be buyers would be willing to send to Las Vegas for his services this spring.
Maxx Crosby, Raiders may need each other for some time
“That’s not a bad place for the Raiders to be, either,” Breer continued during the segment. “When you look at where they are, it’s like, ‘Okay, Maxx is going to help build a culture,’ and they’ll move forward as if he’s part of the team.”
Perhaps Indiana Hoosiers
quarterback and presumed No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza will be as good or even better than advertised for a Raiders team that hasn’t won a playoff game since January 2003. If he is, Crosby may decide he wants to remain with the club that’s been his only NFL employer since the 2019 draft.