Commerce presents for Raiders’ Maxx Crosby: 4 potential new groups

NFL groups cannot formally make trades till the brand new league yr begins on March 11, however they will begin negotiating and agreeing to phrases earlier than then. We got here up with 4 potential presents for Eagles vast receiver A.J. Brown on Thursday, however one other star has a part of the commerce dialog: Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby.

New Las Vegas head coach Klint Kubiak and proprietor Mark Davis made it clear that they need Crosby to return, whereas Crosby has stated any speak of wanting out of Las Vegas didn’t come from him. Nonetheless, what if Crosby was on out there?

We requested NFL analysts Jeremy Fowler, Dan Graziano, Ben Solak and Seth Walder to play normal supervisor of 4 completely different groups and craft life like commerce presents for Crosby. Then we had Raiders reporter Ryan McFadden decide primarily based on what normal supervisor John Spytek and the group might do that offseason.

This is how our market simulation performed out, beginning with some background on Crosby’s state of affairs and ending with a verdict on a possible new touchdown spot.

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The place issues stand
4 presents | The decision

The most recent on a possible Maxx Crosby commerce

This case is fairly fluid. Crosby, who signed a three-year, $106.5 million extension final offseason, was upset the group shut him down through the last two weeks of the season due to a knee harm that required surgical procedure in January. He has additionally been decided to win on the highest degree, and the Raiders are beginning a rebuild below first-time head coach Klint Kubiak.

A commerce could possibly be useful for each side. Crosby, 28, might get a chance to play for a real contender. In the meantime, the Raiders would have a dead-cap hit of $5.1 million however save $30.69 million, in accordance with OverTheCap.com. Las Vegas might additionally add draft capital to assist construct on its roster.

Nonetheless, there is a sturdy argument in retaining Crosby. Edge rushers are a premium place and Crosby is constantly probably the greatest within the league. He earned his fifth Professional Bowl choice in 2025 after 10 sacks in 15 video games. And we have seen groups flip issues round in a single season. The Patriots, for instance, appeared in Tremendous Bowl LX regardless of ending 4-13 in 2024.

Las Vegas has the second-most cap house within the league (per Roster Administration System) and is anticipated to have eight draft picks, together with the primary general decide. If the Raiders play their playing cards proper, they might subject a aggressive roster sooner somewhat than later. Las Vegas additionally promoted defensive position coach Rob Leonard, who works immediately with Crosby, to defensive coordinator. — Ryan McFadden, Raiders reporter

4 hypothetical commerce presents for Crosby

Jeremy Fowler’s supply:

• Raiders get: WR DJ Moore, 2026 first-round decide (No. 25 general), 2027 third-round decide

• Bears get: Crosby

Why this deal is smart: Like Invoice Barnwell’s steered proposal from Monday, I’ve Moore concerned on this Crosby commerce with Chicago. The Bears should improve a defensive position that tied with the Bengals for final in go rush win fee final season (28.8%). The presence of Crosby would elevate a group on the cusp of being a contender after reaching the divisional spherical in coach Ben Johnson’s first yr with the group.

Moore’s departure would permit Chicago to heart its future passing sport round Rome Odunze, Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III. They might additionally save $16.5 million on the cap, serving to soak up Crosby’s three-year, $106.5 million deal. For Las Vegas, it will get an alpha receiver for projected No. 1 decide Fernando Mendoza and extra draft capital to enhance different models.

Dan Graziano’s supply:

• Raiders get: WR George Pickens, 2026 first-round decide (No. 20 general)

• Cowboys get: Crosby, 2026 second-round decide (No. 36 general)

Why this deal is smart: The Cowboys doubtless aren’t going to fork over a long-term, top-of-market deal for Pickens, and franchise-tagging him might trigger extra issues than it solves (because it did final yr with edge rusher Micah Parsons). They get again Crosby, who will make round $30 million per yr for the subsequent two years and would change Parsons. Then, Dallas might look elsewhere for its No. 2 vast receiver.

The Raiders must signal Pickens long-term, however they don’t seem to be already paying CeeDee Lamb top-three WR cash, because the Cowboys are. Pickens matches higher into Las Vegas’ funds than he does into Dallas’ roster.

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Fowler: The Cowboys-Pickens state of affairs might get messy

Jeremy Fowler, Damien Woody and Tim Hasselbeck focus on the way forward for George Pickens with the Dallas Cowboys.

Ben Solak’s supply:

• Raiders get: WR Chris Godwin Jr., 2026 first-round decide (No. 15 general), 2027 second-round decide

• Buccaneers get: Crosby, 2027 fifth-round decide

Why this deal is smart: Raiders normal supervisor John Spytek labored below Buccaneers normal supervisor Jason Licht for years in Tampa Bay, so he would doubtless worth Godwin greater than most different groups. Godwin can be a goal sponge in Las Vegas and provides Kubiak a high quality blocking receiver. Godwin and a first-round decide, together with some extra finagling within the center rounds, ought to get the deal achieved.

Crosby would clear up the edge-rushing drawback Tampa Bay has been unable to repair for years. The Bucs have not had a participant attain 10 sacks in a single season since Shaquil Barrett in 2021; Crosby has achieved it in every of the previous 4 seasons.

Seth Walder’s supply:

Why this deal is smart: Let me begin with the Raiders, who would absolutely bristle on the notion of buying and selling their star inside their division. However that concern is short-sighted: If you’ll commerce away a star, why not take draft capital from a rival? By the point the Raiders are true contenders once more, Crosby may properly be slowing down whereas the draft picks have 4 cost-controlled years to play for Las Vegas — and towards the Chargers.

The Chargers, with Chris O’Leary changing Jesse Minter at defensive coordinator, might use assist at edge rusher. Khalil Mack and Odafe Oweh are pending free brokers, so the Chargers might use their bounty of cap house to commerce for and soak up Crosby’s contract. The truth that Crosby’s deal is wage heavy (which means the Chargers tackle the cash) and that he’ll flip 29 earlier than subsequent season, is why I am not providing a first-round decide right here.

The decision: Cowboys’ supply provides Raiders a WR1

Fowler’s supply (Bears) and Solak’s supply (Buccaneers) are compelling since they embrace vast receivers, which Walder’s proposal from the Chargers doesn’t embrace. However Graziano’s supply from the Cowboys would give the Raiders a high vast receiver, assuming they lock down Pickens on a long-term deal.

Pickens turns 25 on March 4 and is coming off a career-high 9 touchdowns and 1,429 receiving yards in 2025. The Raiders have not had a participant attain that receiving mark since Davante Adams in 2022. By pairing Pickens with working again Ashton Jeanty, tight finish Brock Bowers and vast receiver Tre Tucker, Mendoza might have a robust supporting forged round him in 12 months 1.

On high of that, they might have an additional decide at No. 20 to deal with wants on the defensive or offensive strains. The Raiders had been fifteenth in run cease win fee and seventeenth in go rush win fee final season; they had been twenty second in each run block win fee and go block win fee. — McFadden