The offseason is not even officially here yet, but the Maxx Crosby rumors are already loud, and they are getting louder as the draft gets closer. The Las Vegas Raiders just can’t have anything nice, can they?
Fox Sports insider Jay Glazer said this week he expects Crosby to be traded before the draft, with the idea being that Crosby does not want to sit through another rebuild. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini added another layer by reporting Crosby has told her he would like to play for New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel.
The timing is not random…
Crosby’s situation took a turn in late December when the Raiders shut him down for the final two games because of a knee injury. He later had knee surgery, and his frustration about not being able to play only fueled the questions. At issue is a player who has been vocal for years about being tired of losing. When a team is changing direction again, it is fair to wonder how much patience he has left.
On the field, Crosby is still Crosby. He is one of the few edge defenders who impacts games in multiple ways. Crosby can wreck passing downs, set the edge against the run, chase plays down from the backside, and wear down tackles over four quarters. He turns 29 in August, which matters when teams start talking trade packages, but his effort and production are exactly why contenders would line up to make the call.
Would the Raiders actually move No. 98?
That is where the conversation gets tricky for the Raiders. Glazer suggested Las Vegas could ask for a haul similar to the Dallas Cowboys’ Micah Parsons trade, which reportedly brought back defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round picks. That is a massive return, and it is easy to see why some people are skeptical given Crosby’s age and recent injury history. Still, the basic point stands.
Teams do not get many chances to add a true difference maker off the edge, and when one becomes available, the price usually jumps fast.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport took a more conservative view on Raider Nation Radio, saying it would not be Parsons-level compensation and floating something closer to a late first-round pick. He also hit the part Raiders fans are already thinking about. Even if you hit on a first-round edge rusher, you are not replacing Crosby.
The best argument for moving him is not that you can find “the next Maxx.” It is that you can spread the value out by turning picks and cap flexibility into multiple starters, then build the roster faster.
That is the dilemma. If the best offer is a single late first-rounder, it is hard to justify moving the face of your defense. If Crosby is truly ready to move on, the Raiders can listen, but they cannot do it cheap. Either he stays as the cornerstone of the next era, or the return has to be premium enough to make the pain make sense.
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