The Las Vegas Raiders made a bold decision when they decided to sit star defensive end Maxx Crosby for the final two games of the season. He was hurt and recently underwent surgery, but he felt like he was healthy enough to keep playing.
Crosby went to the media to express his frustration, which had led to speculation that he could ask for a trade this offseason. In the past, he’s been staunch in his support of the Raiders.
He’s made it clear that he doesn’t want to get traded. While it remains to be seen if he’ll actually request a trade, there’s a belief around the NFL that he’ll finally get traded this offseason, according to ESPN’s Kalyn Kahler and Ryan McFadden.
“A personnel executive for another club said that he thinks that this time Crosby, ‘a pretty principled dude,’ is done in Vegas,” McFadden and Kahler wrote.
Now, this executive isn’t with the Raiders, so he’s likely not privy to all of the details regarding Crosby’s situation. It’s possible that Crosby has learned to understand the decision now that he’s been weeks removed from it. The Raiders ended up with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, so it’s not like putting the defensive end on the Injured Reserve was wasted.
Eric Stokes Talks Crosby Decision
Crosby is the face of the Raiders and a team captain. He sets the tone for the entire defense. Taking him out against his will was always going to be controversial.
Starting cornerback Eric Stokes didn’t seem to be a fan of the decision.
“It definitely (expletive) me up… I’m sorry,” Stokes told ESPN after the decision to place Crosby on Injured Reserve. “I know the type of guy Maxx is. He really wanted to play. He’s given everything he has to this organization.”
Stokes knows first-hand how much work Crosby puts in every day and believes that it’s really important to have him on the field.
“It’s hard to find guys like that to lead and just willing to put everything on the line [and] sacrifice everything,” Stokes said. “Once you find them, you’ve got to make sure you do everything to keep them around because you feed off of that.”
Raiders Made Right Call
The results of the final two games for the Raiders likely wouldn’t have been different if Crosby played. They got blown out by the New York Giants but beat the Kansas City Chiefs.
Regardless, it didn’t make sense to keep him on the field when he wasn’t healthy. The Raiders weren’t playing for anything in the final two weeks. It’s fine that Crosby felt like he was healthy enough to play, but why risk it?
He’d likely never admit it, but part of him has to understand the decision. Even if the Raiders lose him, it was still the right decision. They are entering a rebuild, and if they traded Crosby, they would get a haul in return. He’s a great player and has been the team’s best player for years, but he’s getting older and injured. This could be the perfect time to trade him.
Raiders Dealt Unfortunate News on Maxx Crosby Amid Trade Rumors