The Las Vegas Raiders continue to try to figure out how to build a sustainable winner. It appears that they have decided that bottoming out and embracing a full rebuild is the only way forward.
That leaves defensive end Maxx Crosby’s status up in the air. Outside of the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, he’s the most valuable asset the team has. He was not happy about the team’s decision to place him on Injured Reserve with two games left in the season, so there’s been speculation that he’ll request a trade.
Crosby hasn’t spoke much on the matter, but he could potentially land the Raiders two first-round picks in a deal. Former general manager Tom Telesco got to know Crosby well during his one season with the team, and he doesn’t think the Raiders will actually trade the star defensive end.
“Do I think the Raiders will trade Maxx Crosby? No, I still don’t think they will,” Telesco said on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
Telesco was only with the Raiders for a season, but he definitely got some clear insight into how Crosby feels about the team and how owner Mark Davis feels about the defensive end. Anything is possible, but the fact that Telesco doesn’t believe the Raiders will trade Crosby is notable.
Telesco Thought Pete Carroll Was Going to Work
It looked like the Raiders would give Telesco another year after last season, but they decided to bring in a new general manager and head coach. They landed on Pete Carroll, which it sounds like Telesco would’ve been on board with had he stayed.
“It just didn’t work out with Pete Carroll this year,” Telesco said. “I thought he was going to give them some stability that they haven’t had, and it just didn’t quite work out.”
Unfortunately, Carroll didn’t bring stability to the Raiders and was fired after one season. The team went 3-14 and had one of their seasons in franchise history.
Telesco Praises Raiders’ Resources
While Telesco likely didn’t deserve to get fired after one season in Las Vegas, he doesn’t seem to have any ill will toward the franchise. He actually made the case for why the Raiders should be an appealing job for head coaching candidates.
“This team has great resources,” Telesco said. “They really do. Between the stadium, the practice facility is one of one. It’s amazing. You got a worldwide fan base. Mark Davis is a passionate owner who lets football people make football decisions.”
The Raiders have done a lot of things right away from the football field. The problem is that they keep making the wrong decisions when it comes to football. Once the team is good again, it will be a big deal. Las Vegas is a strong market and the brand is still a big deal across the world. They just haven’t won enough to be relevant.
Nobody is going to fully buy into the Raiders until they prove they can win again, but it just takes the right coach and quarterback to turn things around quickly.
Former Raiders GM Has Telling Maxx Crosby Prediction