Every few weeks someone reports that Maxx Crosby is available. Every few weeks the Raiders say he is not. The cycle continues.
The Los Angeles Rams inquired about Crosby’s availability. Las Vegas is not shopping him, he is not asking out, and the Rams never approached Crosby directly about a trade. That is the current state of the most persistent trade rumor in football.
The Ravens Deal That Fell Apart
This all traces back to last March, when Crosby was traded to the Baltimore Ravens and Baltimore rescinded the deal over reported concerns with his physical.
That is an unusual sequence. Trades that die on a physical are rare, and when one dies on a star defensive end’s physical, the entire league files that information away. Every rumor since has been shaped by it.
After the Baltimore deal collapsed, Crosby made it clear to anyone interested that he did not want to be traded and wanted to stay in Las Vegas. That position has not publicly changed.
The Organization Keeps Closing the Door
Raiders general manager John Spytek said he expects Crosby to play for the team in 2026. New head coach Klint Kubiak has said he wants Crosby to be part of whatever the Raiders build. Owner Mark Davis has said he wants him in Las Vegas.
That is the front office, the coaching staff and ownership all saying the same thing on the record. At some point the volume of denials becomes evidence.
So Why Won’t It Go Away
Because the underlying logic is sound, and everybody can see it. Crosby is an elite pass rusher on a team that has not been a contender in years. Elite pass rushers are the most valuable non-quarterback commodity in football. Rebuilding teams trade those players for picks and start over.
The Eagles and 49ers are reportedly the two most interested parties, and both make obvious sense. Contenders with cap flexibility and a need on the edge will keep calling as long as Crosby is on a bad team’s roster.
The Raiders Are Making the Right Call
Here is where the analytics answer and the correct answer diverge. Trading Crosby would bring back picks that improve the roster in 2028. Keeping him is the only reason anyone in Las Vegas has to watch the defense.
Crosby has stayed loyal to an organization that has given him very little to be loyal to. He asked to stay after a trade nearly sent him away. Moving him now would be a real cost in a locker room that does not have much else holding it together.
The rumors will run until he is traded or retires. The Raiders should keep saying no.
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.