Trade talk surrounding Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby has gone pretty quiet. Teams are likely apprehensive to trade for him right now, as he is still recovering from knee surgery.
That said, he’s likely the best pass rusher who could still be on the trade block. Considering how competitive the NFL is right now, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a team swing a trade for Crosby. The Dallas Cowboys are one team that continues to get talked about.
They were interested in him before the Baltimore Ravens deal fell through. Considering his knee, it’s going to be difficult for the Raiders to get two first-round picks for Crosby, but they could get a package of similar value. Former NFL scout and Cowboys insider believes that a trade that sends a first-round pick and wide receiver George Pickens to the Raiders for Crosby would make sense.
“I would offer a one and (George) Pickens to the Raiders. … I know Pickens was incredible last year, but the one thing that’s holding you back is this defense,” Broaddus said recently on 105.3 The Fan.
Would Cowboys Make This Move?
The Cowboys still haven’t given a long-term contract to Pickens, so trading him could solve a potential problem for him. After gaining 1,429 yards last season, Pickens’ value could be as high as a first-round pick, so this would be close to the Cowboys sending two first-round picks for Crosby.
That said, Pickens’ contract situation hurts his value. If the Raiders were willing to take this offer, the Cowboys should strongly consider it. For Las Vegas, adding Pickens would solve their wide receiver need, and getting Crosby’s money off the books would allow them to pay him.
Lot of Interest in Crosby’s Knee
The good news for Crosby is that he’s nearing his return to the field. He has spoken about how his knee is almost back to 100%. If he’s able to pass a physical, there could be renewed interest around the NFL.
According to Vincent Bonsignore of the California Post, there’s a lot of interest around the NFL in Crosby’s knee.
“It’s important to remember this wasn’t a devastating knee injury,” Bonsignore said on Raider Nation Radio’s “Morning Tailgate.” “He probably could have played for those last couple of weeks. Obviously, he wanted to play in his best interest. He didn’t. He got the surgery. So we can’t classify this as, let’s say, what Patrick Mahomes is coming back from. That was like a multi-leveled, just devastating kind of a knee injury.
“What Tyreek Hill is coming back from is a much higher class. So very good news for Maxx Crosby that he obviously got the surgery, did the right thing, and is well on his way to recovery. It’s not something that was ever considered any sort of super serious type of an injury. A lot of people are interested in that knee. I can tell you that. A lot of different ways this can go.”
Once Crosby is healthy, it doesn’t mean he’s getting traded, but he could be a player to watch closely.
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