The early portion of NFL free agency has been a rollercoaster for Cincinnati Bengals fans. First, the team stayed relatively quiet as they made no major moves within the first hour of the legal tampering period opened. However, they then made a pair of strong additions to their defense, as they signed Cincinnati native defensive back Bryan Cook and edge rusher Boye Mafe to multi-year deals.
Prior to the beginning of free agency, the Bengals received news that the division rival Baltimore Ravens had agreed to a trade that would land them five-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Maxx Crosby. However, after a failed physical, the Ravens backed out of the deal. At the time, that seemed to be good news for Cincinnati, as it meant the possibility of acquiring Crosby was re-opened and he would not be playing for a division rival.
Unfortunately, the end result was the Ravens pivoting and signing former Bengals All-Pro pass rusher Trey Hendrickson in free agency. Additionally, the Bengals received information that complicates the possibility of a Maxx Crosby trade.
Cincinnati Bengals Would Have to Send Large Trade Package in Exchange for Maxx Crosby
The bad news for the Bengals is The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that despite the failed physical, teams interested in Crosby believe the Raiders have not moved off their asking price of two first-round picks.
Following the failed Crosby trade between the Ravens and Raiders, Sports Illustrated’s Zach Pressnell said the Bengals should make an offer for Maxx Crosby. He wrote, “Considering the Raiders would have landed two firsts for Crosby, before the failed physical, it’s safe to assume his value has taken a bit of a hit. Pair that with the fact that a few suitors, like the Dallas Cowboys, have already spent their money. This gives the Raiders less leverage in the deal, resulting in them landing less than they did in their initial trade with the Ravens.
Crosby would fit into the Bengals defense and could pair with free agent addition Boye Mafe to give the Bengals two premium edge players. The biggest hang up is a meniscus injury Crosby is recovering from as of this writing, but there is no indication that it will linger into the 2026 season.”
Raiders Asking Price for Crosby
Despite the asking price, Pressnell still believes Crosby would be the perfect addition for the Bengals’ defense. He wrote, “Crosby is one of the best edge rushers in the league. He’s a game breaker who would fit perfectly as the anchor or the Bengals defensive line.” However, he did add that the potential trade is difficult due to the asking price.
Regarding the Bengals potential interest in Crosby, Sports Illustrated’s James Rapien wrote, “If the Bengals were interested then, then they should be interested now. They have roughly $30 million in cap space remaining. They could double that number by restructuring Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase’s contracts. Simply put: they have cap space and the resources to create more.”
Previously, Albert Breer had reported that Cincinnati had shown interest in Crosby. Now, it remains to be seen whether they will re-enter conversations with the Raiders.
Bengals Get Bad News on Maxx Crosby Trade