New details have emerged on how close — or, rather, how not so close — the Chicago Bears came to trading for superstar pass rusher Maxx Crosby earlier in the 2026 offseason before Las Vegas and Baltimore’s failed blockbuster.
Earlier in the offseason, the Raiders infamously agreed to terms with the Ravens on a blockbuster trade for Crosby that would have netted them two first-round draft picks, but the agreement fell apart when the Ravens failed the five-time Pro Bowler on his physical with the team, effectively undoing the deal and sending him back to Vegas.
In the midst of it all, multiple reports connected the Bears to Crosby’s trade market. Bears general manager Ryan Poles even confirmed that the team was “involved” in conversations with the Raiders about a potential deal for him “to see if it made sense.”
Rumors have also endured that Chicago made a similar offer to Baltimore — two first-round picks — but lost out because the Ravens held the more valuable pick at No. 14.
According to The Athletic’s Dan Wiederer, though, the Bears made no such offer.
“While the Bears were linked to that Crosby storyline for weeks, with speculation swirling that they, too, had offered Las Vegas a pair of first-round picks, that wasn’t the case, a league source told The Athletic,” Wiederer wrote April 15.
“Serious discussions were needed about Crosby’s age (28); the weight of his contract (salary-cap hits north of $35 million and $38 million over the next two seasons, respectively); and his health status (including meniscus repair surgery in January). And Poles has always prided himself on the guardrails he establishes for such situations.
“The Bears ultimately retreated when it became clear the auction was heading well beyond their comfort zone.”
Bears Made Right Call to Avoid Maxx Crosby Trade
Crosby is an undeniable pass-rushing force in the NFL, one of the league’s best. There is no doubt that his Pro Bowl talent would have added a dynamic playmaker for the Bears.
That said, the Bears made the right call pulling out of the race, given their situation.
Even before the Ravens backed out of their trade for Crosby due to medical questions, the Bears likely had their own concerns. He had 10 sacks in 2025 while playing through a knee injury, but it left him with a torn meniscus and bone and cartilage damage that forced him to undergo surgery in January. That’s a tough recovery at 28 years old.
Crosby also came with an exorbitant cost. The Bears would have either needed to give up two first-round selections or a package worth similar value to add him on defense and would have still needed to find room for his high-end contract, which would come with cap hits of roughly $35 million and $38 million in 2026 and 2027, respectively.
Crosby might be worth the price, but the Bears are in a bad situation to meet it with three of their six largest cap hits belonging to defensive linemen: Montez Sweat (about $25.08 million), Dayo Odeyingbo ($20.5 million) and Grady Jarrett ($18.925 million).
Will Bears Target Edge Rusher With No. 25 Overall Pick?
The Bears resisted the urge to mortgage their future for Crosby and have not made any other trades for veteran pass rushers, clearing the way for them to put some of their draft resources toward fortifying Dennis Allen’s defensive line in next week’s draft.
Will the Bears end their decade-long drought of not taking a pass rusher in the first round, though?
The Bears have not selected a pass rusher in the first round since taking Leonard Floyd at No. 9 overall in the 2016 NFL draft. They also have not taken a defender in the first round since drafting linebacker Roquan Smith at No. 8 overall in the 2018 draft. Of the four first-round selections that Poles has made, all four of them went toward offense.
Chances are high, however, that the pattern will change in 2026. The Bears could justify another position at No. 25 overall — such as safety, defensive tackle or left tackle — but there is a good crop of pass rushers who could be on the board when they make their pick, including Missouri’s Zion Young, Auburn’s Keldric Faulk or Clemson’s T.J. Parker.
Poles will have to be more patient than in past drafts, though. He made four picks in the top 10 over the past three drafts and is now sitting 15 spots lower. There are plausible scenarios in which the Bears could use one of their two second-round picks (Nos. 57 and 60) to move further up in the round, but a trade back could make as much sense.
Ultimately, it could come down to how the board falls on draft night.
New Details Emerge on Bears’ Interest in Trading for Maxx Crosby