Maxx

Crosby

It’s a break from any speculation that the Raiders would wait until the draft to trade Crosby, but as Breer points out, there’s “going to have to be some needle threading” to get a deal done. The Raiders are reportedly hoping to fetch a “Micah Parsons” type package for their star pass-rusher, which is unlikely to come give the age difference between Crosby and Parsons. That said, there are plenty of teams who will be willing to give up a nice haul for a premier pass-rusher. If Crosby is dealt, Breer highlights the Cowboys, Bears, Ravens, Bills, Patriots, Eagles, and Rams as teams who are “keeping tabs on his availability.”

“I think the price is too high. I’m not sure they really want to move him at this point. But that could change,” one NFC executive told Fowler. While Crosby is undoubtedly a superstar, he’s entering his age-29 season. Parsons was entering his age-26 season when he was dealt, and that made a huge difference in the return. We still wouldn’t be shocked if Crosby was eventually moved, but the idea of a Parsons-like haul always felt like wishful thinking.

This has been a weird saga to track because Crosby appears to still be rankled about how the end-of-season injury management went down despite being unable to not do Maxx Crosby Things — staying in the gym at the facility every day, showing up at Klint Kubiak’s opening presser — that make him feel committed to the Raiders. We wouldn’t quite rule out a Crosby trade just yet, especially since reporters have specifically said that they feel a trade is more likely closer to draft time due to his injury rehab, but the public tenor has seemed to be leaning towards Crosby coming back for a few weeks.

The Cowboys received defensive lineman Kenny Clark and two first-round draft picks in exchange for Parsons last offseason. Parsons was also entering his age-26 season when he was traded and is the better defensive player, while Crosby will be 29 at the start of next season. Age will be a factor in any deal regarding Crosby, who totaled 10 sacks and one interception for the Raiders last season, and is among the most feared defenders in the league. We still don’t know if the Raiders will trade Crosby this offseason, but we would expect him to fetch a decent trade offer, even if the “Parsons deal” is a bridge too far for most teams. The Raiders should get a better gauge on potential suitors during this weeks’ NFL Scouting Combine, which could lead to a deal developing sooner than later if they decide a trade is in their best interest.

Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak recently said he wants Crosby “to be a part of our success going forward,” though Pelissero believes that the team is still determining whether it makes sense to keep Crosby or trade him. From Crosby’s side of things, he remains undecided as to whether he will ask to be traded. Crosby, 28, has regularly played through injuries in lost seasons with the Raiders since entering the NFL in 2019. The team’s decision to shut him down with two games to go in 2025 remains a sore spot for him. For now, the veteran pass rusher will continue dutifully rehabbing at the Raiders’ team facility after undergoing a meniscus repair in early January.

This is mostly cold water on the idea of a Crosby trade from the team’s new head coach, but we’ll see what happens going forward here. There have been too many reports of Crosby wanting out — including one of him telling Tom Brady he’d never play for the Raiders again — to fully invest in the idea that a trade won’t happen. Still, it’s broadly good news that Crosby was at the introductory presser and had coffee with Kubiak.

Rapoport is following up on one of his own recent reports, where he indicated that Crosby could be traded “at the 2026 NFL Draft or prior to the season.” Only Rapoport knows why he chose to create a wider range of possible outcomes, but perhaps he was told that one or more teams are already interested in acquiring the veteran pass rusher. Regardless, Crosby told reporters late last week that he is roughly one month into his recovery from a meniscus repair. Rapoport believes Crosby’s recovery could progress faster than the typical meniscus repair timeline, which takes 3-4 months.

The key to this report is Crosby’s meniscus repair, which Rapoport notes makes him unlikely to be medically cleared before free agency officially begins. Thus, any acquiring team would be taking a leap of faith on the 28-year-old’s health for the 2026 season. We would be surprised if the Raiders traded him after the draft, where they’d seem to lose a lot of leverage, but the Micah Parsons trade did just happen right before the start of the 2025 season so it can’t be entirely ruled out.

Crosby did media appearances Friday morning where he threw cold water on any trade talk. The 28-year-old EDGE donned the Raiders’ silver and black while inside the team’s practice facility, saying any talk of wanting out didn’t come from him. Russini claims coaches and general managers around the league are unmoved and goes as far as saying she’s skeptical Crosby will ever play a down for new Raiders coach Klint Kubiak, who would be the fifth head coach he’s played for since 2019. Due to the extension he signed in March, a Crosby trade can be worked out fairly easily. The team acquiring Crosby would have him locked up for the next four seasons and the Raiders would merely be hit with a $5 million dead cap charge while they save $30 million against the cap in 2026 and presumably acquire a bevy of draft picks. Though he won’t come out and say it yet, it’s understandable that Crosby, who turns 29-years-old before next season, would rather go to a contending team than participate in yet another Raiders rebuild. Depending on what the organization gets in return for him, a Crosby trade could be the best thing for both parties.

Crosby was asked to comment on a FOX Sports report that indicated his time with the Raiders could be coming to a close. The veteran pass rusher responded by saying that “any talk of wanting out of Las Vegas” did not come from him. Whether the Raiders try to move Crosby, 28, for a significant haul remains to be seen, but it appears as though Crosby is happy with his current team. It is also nice to hear that his rehab process is going well. Per Crosby, this is his “eighth surgery in seven years.”