With all but two teams already in offseason mode, trade speculation is running rampant, and the Las Vegas Raiders have a major piece that many competitive teams want: Maxx Crosby.
Las Vegas are in a rebuild mode, and the question for the Silver and Black is whether they can turn their situation to compete while Crosby is in his prime. However, if they feel they cannot, then they need to take advantage of their asset.
Nonetheless, the Raiders will likely receive calls this offseason regarding Crosby and former NFL head coach Dave Wannstedt believes that the Chicago Bears should be one of those teams calling Las Vegas to see what it will take to trade Crosby.
“I think you’ve got to make a run at somebody,” Wannstedt said during a Feb. 3 appearance on 104.3 The Score. “I saw where Crosby wants out [of] the Raiders, or [Trey] Hendrickson from Cincinnati. There are some guys out there who could come in here and make an immediate impact.
“So I would look at a veteran guy, and if I was going to spend some money, that’s where I would spend it. And then you’re still going to keep developing those guys inside and so forth. But that would be my top priority.”
Should the Raiders Hold Onto Maxx Crosby?
Amid speculation surrounding Crosby, former Raiders standout Reggie Kinlaw shared his thoughts on the situation. Kinlaw understands where Las Vegas are at this moment and the player’s desire to be part of a winning team that’s contending for a Super Bowl.
“I mean, Maxx is a great player,” Kinlaw told Vegas Sports Today in a video published on Jan. 31. “I live here. He’s good in the community. Everybody loves him. He’s a franchise player. He’s going to be the face of the of the franchise. If [Fernando] Mendoza comes, Mendoza got to work his way up to be the face of the franchise. If Maxx wants to go, I can understand that.
“This guy’s got the winning mentality in his head. He’s 100 percent. He goes full speed every play and he wants to win. I mean, you know, hey, personally, I ain’t never been on a losing team. And I can understand if he wants to go somewhere and start winning, but I think if he just hang in there for a couple of years, we get this show on the road starting this year.”
49ers Also Urged to Pursue Maxx Crosby
There’s nothing concrete on Crosby leaving Las Vegas. However, that isn’t stopping speculation and trade ideas. Recently, Mark Willard of 95.7 The Game believes the San Francisco 49ers should be a team that challenges the Bears in the pursuit of Crosby.
“If you want the big ticket out on the market, whether it’s free agency or trade name, that I would be obsessed with if I were a 49er fan, and I am, it’s Maxx Crosby,” Willard said on Jan. 26 on 95.7 The Game. “If you could circle one player that’s a proven player, and you could find a way to make him a Niner, that’s my guy, Maxx Crosby.”
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