Maxx Crosby was a Baltimore Raven.
Last Friday night the Ravens announced that they had agreed in principal on a trade for Crosby, sending a pair of first-round selections to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for the veteran pass rusher. But after Crosby flew to Baltimore and met with the team — and team doctors — the Ravens pulled out of the deal citing medical concerns on Tuesday evening. Baltimore responded by signing fellow EDGE rusher Trey Hendrickson in free agency, and the general feeling around the league is that the whole thing smells a little fishy.
Now Crosby is heading back to the Raiders, hours after the team doled out over $280 million in free agent contracts.
Here is a look at what could come next for Crosby.
Could Crosby still be traded?
This is perhaps the biggest question in the wake of the proposed deal between Baltimore and Las Vegas breaking down.
Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday, in the moments after the deal fell through, that “several” teams immediately reached out to the Raiders, inquiring about his availability in a trade.
Still, many teams that have a need for a pass rusher pivoted elsewhere as free agency began. Take, for example, the Washington Commanders. Adam Peters and company added three different pass rushers — Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson, and Charles Omenihu — during free agency. The Indianapolis Colts, who were in on Trey Hendrickson until everything happened between the Ravens and the Raiders, opening the door for the veteran to head to Baltimore, do not have a first-round pick to send to Las Vegas in any trade.
And while everyone linked the Dallas Cowboys to a potential move for Crosby, the Cowboys traded for Rashan Gary, and reports out of Dallas indicate that the Cowboys are not going to be exploring a potential deal for Crosby.
So what teams could still try and land him in a trade?
Eagle-eyed fans took particular note when Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams reacted to the news of the Ravens-Raiders trade falling through.
Could Crosby be on his way to Chicago?
The Bears do have a need on the defensive side of the football, one that remains after the first few waves of free agency. Chicago added defensive tackles Neville Gallimore and Kentavius Street, but still need a true running mate for Montez Sweat on the edge.
Chicago was considered one of the initial suitors for Crosby prior to the deal with the Ravens, and while the Bears would need to create some cap space to make a Crosby contract work, including a player in a potential deal (such as Dayo Odeyingbo for example) would help create the cap space they need, along with some contract restructures. For a team that was a few minutes away from the NFC Championship Game, this might be a worthwhile investment.
The Philadelphia Eagles have a situation of their own to deal with regarding a veteran player.
The situation regarding wide receiver A.J. Brown has lingered into the latter stages of free agency, and with good reason. As we have outlined here at SB Nation trading Brown ahead of the June 1 timeframe is a difficult proposition, and likely led to the trade market for the receiver cooling ahead of the start to free agency.
But if that situation lingers, there is a chance that the Raiders and the Eagles could address their respective situations by working together.
One way would be the Eagles finding a trading partner for Brown, acquiring additional draft capital, and then using picks to swing a trade with the Raiders for Crosby. Given what Roseman has lost on the defensive side of the football — Jaelan Phillips, Nakobe Dean, and Reed Blankenship all left in free agency before the team added cornerback Riq Woolen — bolstering their pass rush with Crosby would be an enticing move.
But is something else possible?
A deal involving both Brown and Crosby?
Bill Barnwell at ESPN, along with others, has proposed that kind of move. It need to come closer to the June 1 timeframe, when Philadelphia can designate Brown as a post-June 1 trade and slide $27 million of the $43 million in dead money that would come from a trade involving the WR onto their 2027 cap number. But not only would that move give the Eagles the kind of pass rushing help they need after losing Phillips, but it would also give the new Raiders quarterback — whom everyone expects to be Fernando Mendoza — a true WR1.
Is it possible? Well, stranger things have happened.
This might be a sneaky team to watch when it comes to Crosby.
After winning Super Bowl LX, the Seahawks have been rather quiet during the offseason. Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III is off to the Kansas City Chiefs, Woolen is headed to Philadelphia as we just noted, and pass rusher Boye Mafe is now a member of the Cincinnati Bengals.
So while Seattle’s defense is largely intact from a season ago — when it was one of the best units in the league — the Seahawks are in a competitive window, in a very difficult division.
And they have the cap space to make such a move work.
Would general manager John Schneider make such an aggressive move? He might when you consider what defenders on Seattle’s roster are set to hit free agency next season. That list includes Leonard Williams, Uchenna Nwosu, and Derick Hall.
Could Crosby stay in Las Vegas?
In the months leading up to free agency, it seemed that the relationship between Crosby and Las Vegas was strained to the point of no return. The Raiders shut the pass rusher down late in the season due to a knee injury (one he had been playing through last season), and while it helped the team secure the first-overall selection, the decision did not sit right with Crosby.
Which he talked about at the end of last year.
“But when it comes to football, there’s certain things that I truly believe in, and I feel like there’s core principles that you gotta live by, and there’s a certain way the game needs to be played. And there’s a certain approach that you have when you go into the field,” said Crosby on the “Let’s Go” podcast last December. And the way you look at it, from my perspective, is you play to win. You play for your teammates, you put everything you have into the game, no matter what it is. There’s gonna be bumps and bruises. You’re gonna be banged up. That is a part of the game and the nature of the beast.”
Then there were reports over the past few weeks that Crosby also grew frustrated with the presence of Alex Guerrero in Las Vegas, a long-time ally of minority owner Tom Brady who holds the title of Wellness Coordinator with the team. Mike Silver of The Athletic wrote ahead of the start to free agency that “[l]ike many players and coaches, Crosby was frustrated by the presence of Alex Guerrero, a staunch Brady ally whose official title is wellness coordinator. Guerrero, who regularly attends practices and meetings, purports to possess significant organizational power, informing players of impending transactions and even indicating to staff members who don’t follow his instructions that their jobs may be at risk.”
So when Crosby was put on the trading block, and the deal with Baltimore was agreed to, it seemed to make sense.
But since that deal fell through, Crosby has said everything right about coming back to Las Vegas:
Now, could he stay there?
After agreeing to the deal with Baltimore, the Raiders handed out over $280 million in new contracts with free agents, including adding Kwity Paye, Quay Walker, and Nakobe Dean along the defensive front. But even with those new contracts — and Crosby’s contract as well — the Raiders are still well under the salary cap.
Meaning not only is their defense much improved, but they can afford all the moves they have made to date.
Add in a rookie quarterback, and some other additions in the draft, and suddenly things look a lot better in Las Vegas.
Perhaps enough to avoid having to tank next December.
