The Chicago Bears will likely be active heading into the NFL trade deadline, where they could swing for the fences with a trade for Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby.
With Week 5 against the Green Bay Packers coming up, now is a good time to see whether a Crosby deal could happen, and why it would make sense for both clubs.
Raiders Are Not AFC Contenders
The Raiders have opened the season with a 3-1 record before Week 5. Their lone loss came in Week 4, when they lost a competitive game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
This record appears to be that of a mirage. The Raiders don’t have a huge wide receiver threat, in addition to their defense coughing up 28.5 points per game over the last two weeks.
Add to the mix that the Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Chargers, and New Orleans Saints have a 1-11 combined record, and those wins feel less like a feather in their cap than it should be. While they might look like AFC contenders, all of those factors combined to produce less than ideal circumstances for the Raiders.
Maxx Crosby Turns Bears Into NFC Super Bowl Contender
According to Jonathan Jones of The Athletic, the Raiders had the Baltimore Ravens back out of a trade for Crosby and his $35.5 million salary this year.
“In March, the Ravens and Raiders agreed to a deal that would have sent two first-round picks to Las Vegas for Crosby,” Jones reports. “The Ravens didn’t fly Crosby in until a Monday, losing most of the day due to travel. On Tuesday he was sent for imaging, and after consulting with doctors, the Ravens decided they couldn’t go forward with the trade.”
This is one of the worst reasons to have a trade slip through the cracks. However, the Bears could do the Raiders a solid and send them a first and second round draft pick in exchange for Crosby. That should help mitigate any loss in value, while giving the Raiders some assets to flip for younger prospect-type players to avoid a complete rebuild.
Crosby would not be a one-year solution for the Bears, but a long-term answer off the edge. If the Bears could add him now, they could propel their status to early NFC Super Bowl favorites.
Bears Trade Pitch Lands Maxx Crosby Now For a Steal