The Las Vegas Raiders are set to open the 2026 regular season with defensive end Maxx Crosby on the roster. Things were almost very different when there was a trade agreement with the Baltimore Ravens before they backed out.
The Raiders may have been open to trading him again earlier in the offseason if they got offered another two first-round picks, but that offer never came. There have been plenty of teams linked to Crosby this offseason.
Any contender would be a great fit for a star pass rusher. One team that was surprisingly in the mix was the Los Angeles Rams before they traded for Myles Garrett, per The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero.
“Garrett wasn’t the only superstar edge the Rams strongly considered acquiring in the spring,” Pelissero wrote.
“They also called and kept tabs on Maxx Crosby, who ended up back in Las Vegas after a blockbuster deal with the Ravens came apart in March over concerns about the knee Crosby had repaired in January.”
Crosby wouldn’t have minded going to the Rams. He’s a big fan of Los Angeles, and they are certainly among the top contenders to compete for a Super Bowl this season.
Raiders Could Get More Calls on Crosby
Crosby is a Raider for now, but that doesn’t mean he won’t eventually play for another team. It remains to be seen how competitive Las Vegas will be this season. If they struggle early on, the Crosby trade rumors will only start to get loud again.
Pelissero expects that the Raiders will get calls about the defensive end again this season.
“Crosby took the failed trade as a sign from the universe that he was meant to be in Las Vegas—a city he never wanted to leave in the first place,” Pelissero wrote. “It was the constant changes, losing, and general chaos that had him frustrated. Everything has seemingly calmed down under Klint Kubiak and his staff (it helps that Crosby’s former position coach Rob Leonard is the new defensive coordinator), and Crosby has reiterated in interviews this summer he wants to be a Raider.
“Does that mean Crosby is in Vegas to stay? Put it this way: If he looks like Maxx Crosby again (and so far, sources say, he looks great), GM John Spytek’s phone will be ringing before the November 10 trade deadline and everyone will have decisions to make. Again.”
Will Crosby Finish Season With Raiders?
Crosby seems committed to the Raiders again and isn’t trying to force his way out. The Ravens debacle likely made him feel different about his situation.
That doesn’t mean the Raiders wouldn’t be interested in possibly trading him. Whether or not Crosby stays in Las Vegas will really depend on how good the team is. If the Raiders are in the playoff mix near the deadline, they aren’t going to trade their best defensive player.
If they only have two or three wins, then it might be wiser to get something for him now and start looking at pass rusher options in the draft.
Surprise Team Called About Maxx Crosby Trade: Report