The big question surrounding the Las Vegas Raiders right now is whether Maxx Crosby will wear a silver and black uniform next season. The star defensive end has seen his name come up in plenty of trade rumors lately, and a number of teams across the NFL would surely love to land him.
However, as one could expect, the Raiders won’t let go of him easily. The five-time Pro Bowler is 28 years of age, which means he should have plenty left in the tank, and he is one of the very best at generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter made an appearance on 97.5 The Fanatic, a Delaware Valley radio station, to talk about the chances of the Philadelphia Eagles landing Crosby. He said that Las Vegas isn’t very inclined to trade Crosby, and that if it does end up doing so, it may take a king’s ransom.
“I was told that the Raiders don’t want to trade [Maxx Crosby], and if they even contemplated it, then it would take a Micah Parsons type package. That’s what I was told. Do I think they are getting two firsts and a player, no. Do I think they want to trade him, no. Do I think he’ll be traded like AJ Brown [could be], that’ll change by the week… Any deal involving Maxx Crosby, I would think for the Raiders to make that deal, would take a first round pick at minimum.”
Read more: Giants QB Jameis Winston Makes Final Decision on His NFL Future
Parsons, who, like Crosby, is an elite edge rusher, was traded by the Dallas Cowboys to the Green Bay Packers just prior to the start of this season for two first-round draft picks, as well as defensive tackle Kenny Clark, a three-time Pro Bowler. But Parsons is about two years younger than Crosby, and just because the Cowboys got a big return for him doesn’t mean Las Vegas will get what it may demand for Crosby.
In 2025, Crosby put up 10 sacks, 28 tackles for loss, 20 quarterback hits, six passes defended and 73 total tackles (45 solo). He has the ability to single-handedly elevate a team’s defense and take plenty of pressure off other defensive ends and off-ball linebackers on his team.
But the Raiders have an awful team right now, and he doesn’t seem to fit their timeline. After going 3-14 this season, they will have the No. 1 pick in April’s NFL draft, but this year’s draft class isn’t especially attractive, unless Indiana University quarterback Fernando Mendoza turns into a diamond in the rough.
Las Vegas badly needs a competent quarterback, as well as help at the wide receiver position and plenty of assistance on the defensive side of the football. Perhaps the team shouldn’t be in a rush to trade Crosby, but if it receives a sizable offer for him, it may be time for it to part ways with him and use the return it would get for him to accelerate its rebuilding process.
Read more: Vikings Projected to Make ‘Crazy’ Justin Jefferson Trade
Crosby has four more years left on his contract and will carry a $35.88 million salary cap hit for the 2026 campaign. The Raiders, however, will have over $87 million of cap space, according to spotrac.com.
For more on the Raiders and general NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
