It has been quite a 24 hours for the Baltimore Ravens, and general manager Eric DeCosta addressed the recent developments that included backing out of a trade for Maxx Crosby and adding Trey Hendrickson with a Wednesday press conference.
On Tuesday, the Las Vegas Raiders shocked the NFL world when they announced Baltimore "backed out of our trade agreement for Maxx Crosby. We will have no further comment at the time."
DeCosta told reporters, "Nobody is more upset by this than me. I'm gutted by it."
The Ravens were set to acquire the star pass-rusher for two first-round picks but didn't waste much time finding a replacement when ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Wednesday they agreed to a four-year, $112 million deal that can be worth up to $120 million with $60 million in guarantees with Hendrickson.
According to the GM, the idea at one point was to pursue both pass-rushers:
While Hendrickson is an excellent player who led the NFL with 17.5 sacks in 2024 when he played for the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals, the Crosby trade no longer happening was the major headline.
Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported "Baltimore made the decision as an organization that it could not move forward with the deal based on the results of the medical," which was notable after he underwent surgery this offseason for a torn meniscus.
However, his agent, CJ LaBoy, released a statement that said Crosby "continues to be on track in his recovery" and "remains on track to return during the offseason program."
Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network also reported that "everybody involved in Maxx Crosby trade talks knew he would be out until June/July coming off meniscus surgery" and added the "consensus opinion" around the league is Baltimore "got cold feet," which "could impact" how other teams deal with the team in the future.
Jane Slater of NFL Network also reported on the situation:
It was clear going into the offseason the Ravens needed to address their pass-rush after missing the playoffs and finishing with a mere 30 sacks. Only the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers had fewer, and Crosby seemed like an obvious fix as one of the best defensive ends in the league and a five-time Pro Bowler.
It will now be up to Hendrickson to fix those pass-rushing woes instead.
