Maxx is back. And he’s apparently not leaving again.
Per a league source, the Raiders are currently telling teams that defensive end Maxx Crosby won’t be traded, in the aftermath of the failed effort to ship him to the Ravens for a pair of first-round picks.
The Raiders, we’re told, never wanted to trade him. He wanted out. Now that he’s back and has publicly recommitted to the Raiders, he’s staying put.
Obviously, the question of whether Crosby would pass a physical with another team looms over the possibility of a new trade. And, at a minimum, it cries out for a better way to review a player’s health before the horse gets out of the barn on a possible trade. (More to come on that.)
The Raiders also have a solid contract with Crosby, in light of the current market. As of last year, the Raiders gave Crosby a new deal that moved him to an annual rate of $35.5 million. It has since moved to $46.5 million.
Currently, the Crosby deal has four years left, at an average of $29 million per year. And it’s highly unlikely he’ll be knocking on anyone’s door for a raise, at least not until he re-establishes himself after a meniscus repair that made the Ravens unwilling to proceed with the trade.
While the Raiders won’t get the 14th overall pick in the 2026 draft or an extra first-round pick in 2027, they’ll keep Crosby. They’ve added several quality players in free agency. Yes, owner Mark Davis will have to re-balance the budget a bit. (He’ll still be able to eat something other than peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.)
But the Raiders are keeping their best player. A player who has rediscovered his passion for the franchise.
