Raiders Must Find New Maxx Crosby Trade Partner, Focus on Future Amid NFL Rumors

Maxx Crosby is not headed to Baltimore in a blockbuster trade that would have netted the Las Vegas Raiders two first-round picks (2026, 27) after all.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported that the Ravens "backed out" of their trade agreement with Las Vegas for the star defensive end after he failed his physical.

Crosby's agent, CJ LaBoy, released a statement on X Tuesday in which he claimed:

"Maxx continues to be on track in his recovery and if anything is ahead of schedule according to his surgeon Dr Neal El Attrache. Maxx remains on track to return during the offseason program & will undoubtedly return as the dominant game wrecker he has been these past 7 seasons."

It remains to be seen how quickly the Raiders will be able to find another trade partner but the team must do so before the beginning of the season so that it can look to the future in what is an organization-wide rebuild.

Las Vegas has the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft is expected to select Heisman Trophy winner and National Championship winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza out of Indiana.

They have also added a few quality free agents in center Tyler Linderbaum, linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker, defensive ends Malcolm Koonce and Kwity Paye, cornerback Eric Stokes, wide receiver Jalen Nailor, and kicker Matt Gay.

Add to that new head coach, Super Bowl-winning offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks Klint Kubiak, and you have a franchise that is looking to return to prominence in the NFL after two decades of relative irrelevancy.

Crosby is an extraordinary player, a game-changing defensive end. He has the sixth-most sacks in the NFL since entering the league in 2019, has tallied 11 forced fumbles, and has 106 stuffs for 183 yards.

There is no denying the quality of the player he is or his value at one of the most important positions on the field.

Crosby, though, has been the subject of trade discussions for two seasons now, and the longer he remains with a team that is, realistically, at least two or three years away from being a genuine threat, the more his situation hangs over the organization.

With the best opportunity to change the direction of the franchise that it has had in years, and a legitimate excitement surrounding the team that it has been missing for at least a decade, moving Crosby and taking the draft capital it can is a move the front office must make before focusing on the future of one of football's most storied franchises.