Maxx Crosby Shuts Down Trade Talk as Raiders Star Recommits After Failed Ravens Deal
Maxx Crosby is done answering trade questions, and he is done answering them in the most direct way possible.
“Ultimately, I am exactly where I want to be,” Crosby told reporters after a Raiders OTA session on June 6. The All-Pro edge rusher made it clear that the trade rumors swirling around him for months are over as far as he is concerned.
That is a strong statement. It is also strategically necessary.
The backstory is wild. Crosby was reportedly on the verge of being traded to the Baltimore Ravens earlier this offseason for two first-round picks. The deal didn’t get done because Crosby failed the physical on the Baltimore side, scuttling the trade and leaving everyone in an awkward spot.
Failing a physical for the trading team but staying healthy enough to play for your current team is a fascinating little wrinkle. There is no public clarity on what Baltimore’s doctors flagged. The Raiders are not asking Crosby to pump the brakes. They are letting him compete, get fully healthy, and stay on the field.
Crosby’s only path forward was to publicly close the door on trade speculation. Recommitting to the Raiders takes pressure off everyone, including Raiders GM John Spytek, who would much rather build around Crosby than spend half the year fielding trade calls.
The market for Crosby isn’t going away just because he wants it to. Rumors continue about the Eagles being interested, with Philadelphia having Nolan Smith as a potential trade chip to sweeten any deal. The Rams have also been mentioned in passing as a long-shot possibility, especially after they made the big Myles Garrett swing.
But Las Vegas’s asking price is reportedly very high, and there is no sense any deal is close. After the Ravens situation, teams are likely a little spooked about Crosby’s medical reports, which gives Las Vegas less leverage even if they wanted to move him.
For the Raiders, this is the best possible outcome. They keep their franchise pass rusher, they sell the fan base on a renewed era, and they get to build a defensive identity around Crosby and the rest of the defense. The pitch matters.
Crosby is 28 years old, in his prime, and has put up monster sack and pressure numbers despite being on bad Raiders teams for years. If Las Vegas can finally surround him with a competent defense, he is still a top-five player at his position.
The trade chatter was always going to fade once Crosby spoke. He just did. Now the Raiders can focus on what comes next, which is finally winning some football games.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
