The Chicago Bears may have just had the door cracked open for them to pursue one of the league’s top pass rushers in a trade during the 2026 NFL offseason.
Over the past few weeks, speculation has ramped up about the potential availability of Las Vegas Raiders superstar defensive end Maxx Crosby in an offseason blockbuster trade after tensions flared over the team’s decision to sit him to close out the season.
The Raiders shut down Crosby against his wishes in the final two games of the season, prompting him to leave the facility for several days before returning out of respect for his teammates. According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, though, “many believe” the Raiders will be open to trading Crosby “if the relationship remains at an impasse.”
Raiders general manager John Spytek also further fanned the speculative flames when he sidestepped a question about whether he considers Crosby an “untradeable” talent.
“I have a lot of respect for Maxx and how much he loves to play the game,” Spytek told reporters on January 5 after firing head coach Pete Carroll. “I’ve had the opportunity over the last several weeks to spend a lot of time with Maxx. I think it’s been well-documented that he didn’t love the idea of not playing football. I think you always want that from your best players. In fact, I think that’s why they’re your best players.
“I love Maxx. He embodies what a Raider is. I’ve been pretty up front about that from the day that I sat up here almost a year ago. I continue to believe that.”
That’s a heck of a way to answer a yes or no question, John.
Maxx Crosby Could Become Chicago’s New Cornerstone
If the Raiders are unable to repair their relationship with Crosby and he seeks a trade during the 2026 offseason, it would be a no-brainer for the Bears to at least call them.
Crosby is one of the NFL’s premier game-wreckers, coming off a 2025 season in which he recorded 73 total tackles, a career-high 28 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 53 pressures, six pass deflections, two forced fumbles and the very first interception of his career. If the Bears found a way to acquire him, he would instantly become a defensive cornerstone.
Fixing the pass rush should also be an offseason priority for the Bears. According to ESPN Analytics, they finished with the NFL’s worst team pass-rush win rate (28%) in the regular season, despite tying with four other teams for the 22nd-most sacks (35).
Just because the Bears have a dire need for someone of Crosby’s talent on the edge of their defensive line does not mean they have the means to trade for him, though.
Bears’ Current DL Investments Complicate Matters
In some ways, there are familiar echoes about the possibility of the Bears trading a blockbuster haul for Crosby. They pulled off a similar trade with the Raiders in 2018 when they acquired superstar Khalil Mack before the start of the regular season.
The timing of it all does not quite suit the Bears’ current roster build, though.
According to Over the Cap, Crosby will carry a cap hit of $35.88 million in 2026 under the terms of his current $106.5 million contract. His $30 million base salary will also vest as fully guaranteed on the second day of the league year on March 13, making him an expensive player for the Bears to add to their tight-as-it-is books for next season.
For Chicago, the problem is threefold. The Bears are projected to be nearly $15 million in the red in terms of effective cap space for 2026. They are also heavily invested in their defensive line, with Montez Sweat ($25.08 million), Grady Jarrett ($19 million) and Dayo Odeyingbo ($20.5 million) carrying three of their 12 largest 2026 cap hits.
While the Bears have cuts and restructures they can make to clear some space and give themselves a little spending room in 2026, a high-end purchase like Crosby is unlikely.
Not only is Crosby likely too expensive for the Bears in terms of cap space, but he would also command a rich price tag that could start at two first-round picks. Even if the Bears offered to package one of their veteran, such as DJ Moore, in the trade, it seems against the philosophy of general manager Ryan Poles’ front office to give up so much.
As pretty a sight as it would make, Crosby won’t likely land in Chicago.
Bears Trade Rumors Intensify After GM’s Comments on All-Pro DE