There is rampant speculation surrounding Maxx Crosby’s future with the Las Vegas Raiders. While Crosby has refused to corroborate rumors of a trade demand in explicit terms, he is also not unequivocally expressing his desire to stay. The Raiders will be starting over, essentially, with a threadbare roster and a new head coach. While presumptive No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza is a reason to get excited, it’s not like the Raiders are built to contend in the near future.
Crosby, 28, will spend his offseason recovering from a meniscus repair. He’s expected to receive a clean bill of health sometime around the NFL Draft in April, which certainly complicates trade negotiations, but does not preclude them altogether.
What should the Raiders look for in a Maxx Crosby trade?
The obvious point of comparison here is the Micah Parsons trade from last summer. Green Bay coughed up two first-round picks and a three-time Pro Bowler in Kenny Clark. The trade also included a poison pill, preventing the Packers from trading Parsons to Dallas’ NFC East rivals without severe repercussions.
Crosby is a couple years older than Parsons. Both are five-time Pro Bowlers, although Parsons’ résumé is a bit more fleshed out. Crosby has never missed significant time, but he has accumulated seven absences over the last couple years. Prior to his Achilles tear this season, Parsons was something of an ironman, despite the narrative Jerry Jones attempted to spin.
The Raiders should not trade Crosby for anything less than max value. He’s a franchise cornerstone, a true game-changer on the edge. In 15 games last season, the former Eastern Michigan standout put up 10.0 sacks, 20 QB hits and 28 tackles for loss, with an interception for good measure. Frankly, since it feels like Dallas undervalued Parsons (and deliberately took a lesser deal to prevent him from going to Philly), the Raiders can probably aim for a comparable return with Crosby, even if he’s a slightly — slightly — lesser player.
Here are some potential landing spots.
Which teams could be interested in Maxx Crosby?
Philadelphia Eagles
Dread it, run from it, but Howie Roseman arrives all the same. We know the Eagles will get in on the bidding here, and Las Vegas has no rivalry ties to prevent them it picking up the phone. The Eagles would love to add a premium edge rusher to the most talented defense in the NFC, give or take Seattle. After putting forth the best offer for Parsons, reportedly, don’t be shocked when the Eagles put a handsome package on the table for Crosby.
Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore’s 4.3 sack percentage ranked second worst in the NFL last season, a major reason behind their gross underperformance. This Ravens team has a ton of talent and new head coach Jesse Minter should spice up the defense, but Baltimore needs an impact edge rusher like Crosby more than most wannabe contenders. If Crosby is tired of the mediocrity in Las Vegas, the chance to team up with a two-time MVP in Lamar Jackson ought to excite him quite a bit.
San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco had the worst sack rate in the NFL last season (3.16 percent), exacerbated by relentless injuries. Better health should help the Niners take a step in the right direction, even with the departure of Robert Saleh, but the Niners have also spent the last couple summers loosening up their cap sheet for a major splash like this. Crosby and Nick Bosa on the edge? That, folks, is an exciting thought.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars finished this past season top-10 in offense and defense, quietly one of the most well-rounded and competitive teams in the AFC. Many questions loom over the coming months, but Jacksonville finally has the right coach to unlock Trevor Lawrence and put this team on a Super Bowl track. If their weaker pass rush can improve in one fell swoop, that would sure go a long way. The Jags would need to get creative after sacrificing a lot to move up for Travis Hunter in the 2025 draft, but where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Dallas Cowboys
The Micah Parsons trade was an unforced error on behalf of Jerry Jones’ ego, but it did leave the Cowboys with two first-round picks in the upcoming draft and some extra trade ammo — more than enough to mount a strong push for Maxx Crosby, who played high school football in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Acquiring Crosby would not absolve Jones of the Parsons fiasco, but it would put Dallas back on the right track and meaningfully elevate its profile in a competitive division.
New England Patriots
The reigning AFC champs are loaded with cap space and hungrier than ever after suffering a proper beatdown in the Super Bowl. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that Crosby is interested in playing for Mike Vrabel, who values a strong pass rush as much as any coach in football. New England needs to focus on beefing up the O-line and adding more playmakers around Drake Maye, but it’s hard to think of a better use for their extra cash than a defensive superstar of Crosby’s caliber.
Which team could offer the Raiders the best trade package for Maxx Crosby?
The Eagles are extremely deep and extremely adept at finding value on the margins, which could allow Howie Roseman to pull the trigger on an ambitious trade of this nature. Last season was a supreme disappointment in Philadelphia. If any move can reinvigorate the locker room and restore confidence around the fanbase, it’s adding Crosby to a Vic Fangio defense that tends to dominate in the trenches.
This move would hand Las Vegas two first-round picks, as well as up-and-comer Jalyx Hunt, Philadelphia’s 2024 third-round pick. Hunt is a major talent; he put up 6.5 sacks and 24 QB hits in 2025, despite starting in just nine of 17 appearances.
Many will say this is too rich for a player on Crosby’s timeline and with his recent injury history — especially considering how effectively Philadelphia deploys its draft capital. That said, with Jaelan Phillips hitting free agency and the Eagles always on the lookout for blue-chip talent, it would not be out of character for Roseman to put it all on the line.
Again, the Eagles offered more for Parsons than Green Bay. That is extremely relevant information right now. Crosby is an immediate injection of not only talent, but energy. Philly has holes to plug on offense, but if new OC Sean Mannion can get Jalen Hurts and company back on track, this Eagles defense, with Maxx Crosby in tow, will be hard to overcome, even in the talent-rich NFC.
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