Maxx Crosby has been a Baltimore Raven.
Just last Friday, the Ravens announced they had reached a trade agreement with Crosby, sending two first-round picks to the Las Vegas Raiders for the experienced pass rusher. However, the Ravens canceled Crosby’s contract on Tuesday evening due to medical issues after he traveled to Baltimore for a team meeting and a check-up with doctors. Following this, Baltimore signed EDGE rusher Trey Hendrickson in free agency, but many in the league are left wondering about the transparency of the situation.
Just hours after the team offered him over $280 million in a free agent deal, Crosby is back on his way to the Raiders.
What’s Next for Crosby?
Now, this raises a significant question: Could Crosby still be traded?
According to Adam Schefter, multiple teams were quick to reach out to the Raiders after the trade fell through, exploring the possibility of adding Crosby to their rosters.
Yet, as soon as free agency kicked off, many teams that had been eyeing free-agent pass rushers quickly changed direction. Take the Washington team, for instance. They signed three different pass rushers: Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson, and Charles Omenihu. The Colts were actually looking at Hendrickson before the trade situation, and now with him heading to Baltimore, they lack the draft capital to offer Vegas for a trade.
Meanwhile, although the Dallas Cowboys were rumored to be a contender for Crosby, they opted instead for a trade involving Rashan Gary and are reportedly no longer interested in Crosby.
This leads to the question: which team could realistically make a trade for him?
Fans have noticed Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams’ reaction when news broke of the Ravens-Raiders trade collapse.
Is Crosby headed to Chicago?
The Bears still have defensive needs following the early waves of free agency. Sure, they brought in tackles Neville Gallimore and Kentavious Street, but they still need someone to partner with edge rusher Montez Sweat.
Chicago had initially expressed interest in Crosby before he joined the Ravens. To pull off a trade, they’d need to create some salary space, but maybe they could include players like Dayo Odeyingbo and restructure contracts to make it work. After all, for a team that was so close to the NFC Championship, it could be a worthy gamble.
The Philadelphia Eagles are in a bit of a different situation with their veteran players.
The ongoing situation with wide receiver AJ Brown has lingered into the later parts of free agency. According to SB Nation, trading Brown before the June 1st deadline will be tricky, and his market may cool as we approach free agency.
However, if things drag on, the Raiders and Eagles might find a way to mutually benefit.
One possible route would be for the Eagles to trade Brown, gain some draft picks, and then use those picks to send Crosby to the Raiders. Given the losses on the defensive side earlier in free agency, adding Crosby could be an appealing move for Philadelphia.
But perhaps there’s another intriguing option?
What about a trade involving both Brown and Crosby?
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell and others have floated this idea. The Eagles could trade Brown after June 1st to alleviate some cap concerns. This could help Philadelphia shore up its pass rush with Crosby, while giving Las Vegas a solid WR1 with their new quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Can this really happen? Well, strange things can occur.
On the other hand, after winning Super Bowl LX, the Seattle Seahawks have kept a low profile this offseason. They lost Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to the Kansas City Chiefs and have seen several players such as Woolen move to the Eagles.
Seattle’s defense remains largely intact, but the division is tough, and other teams are making moves.
Fortunately, they do have the cap space to make a move for Crosby work.
The question is, will general manager John Schneider take that bold step? With several defenders potentially hitting free agency next season, he might consider it.
Can Crosby Stay in Las Vegas?
In the lead-up to free agency, it seemed like the bond between Crosby and Las Vegas had soured significantly. The Raiders sidelined their pass rusher late last season due to a knee issue, which caused some friction given Crosby’s selection as a number one overall pick—which, quite frankly, he wasn’t thrilled about.
He expressed his views at the end of last season.
“When it comes to football, there are core principles we need to follow,” Crosby mentioned, adding that the game should reflect a certain ethos where players give their all. Injuries and challenges are simply part of the deal,” he noted in the podcast during last December.
Lately, Crosby has voiced some discontent regarding Alex Guerrero’s presence in Las Vegas, a long-time associate of minority owner Tom Brady and the team’s wellness coordinator. Some reports suggest that Crosby, like many, is frustrated with Guerrero’s influence.
Thus, when Crosby found himself on the trade block and a deal with Baltimore was proposed, it seemed fitting.
However, since that trade fell through, Crosby has publicly embraced the idea of returning to Las Vegas.
So, can he actually remain there?
After agreeing to the deal with Baltimore, the Raiders went on a spending spree, signing free agents totaling over $280 million, including defensive players like Kwity Paye, Key Walker, and Nakobe Dean. Despite these acquisitions and Crosby’s deal, the Raiders still find themselves under the salary cap.
Their defense has significantly improved, allowing for flexibility in their upcoming moves.
When they add a rookie quarterback and other draft picks, things suddenly begin to look much more promising for Las Vegas.
This might just be enough to steer clear of any talk of tanking next December.
