Maxx Crosby reportedly made huge decision before Raiders agreed to trade him to Ravens

The biggest NFL-related story of March heading into free agency involved the Las Vegas Raiders agreeing to trade star pass-rusher Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens for two first-round draft picks when the new league year opens on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET. 

Crosby's relationship with the Raiders was seemingly damaged beyond repair after he was shut down by the team for the remainder of the 2025 season against his wishes because of a lingering knee injury in late December. He previously insisted on multiple occasions that he wouldn't want to play for a team other than the Raiders, who drafted him in 2019. However, it appears he experienced a change of heart this winter. 

Maxx Crosby submitted a trade request after 2025 season

"Quietly, after the season, Crosby requested a trade, intimating to owner Mark Davis, with whom he shares a very close relationship, and GM John Spytek that he wanted to work with the team and find a solution that worked for everyone," NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated shared for an article published late Sunday night. "He even told Davis that he wanted to help the team win, 'even if I’m not here.' Crosby said he didn’t want things to get hostile or play out in the media."

Some previously suggested that Crosby was open to playing for recently hired Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak. However, Breer mentioned that Kubiak's arrival "didn’t move the needle much" as it pertained to Crosby's desire to be traded. 

A report from February said that Crosby told Raiders minority owner Tom Brady during the offseason that Crosby would "never play for" the team again. Breer's update indicates the conversation between the parties didn't quite go that way, but it seems that Crosby was serious about playing elsewhere later this year. 

Were Raiders willing to keep Maxx Crosby? 

"The Raiders would've been fine keeping Crosby and working the issue out if the right offer didn't come along," Breer explained. "Last year, they made Crosby the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history and crafted a contract that could be traded if need be."

Specifically, the two sides signed a three-year, $106.5M contract extension last offseason. Crosby was committed to playing out the remainder of the deal when he put pen to paper, and it sounds like he wants Raiders fans to know that they and the franchise still hold special places in his heart. 

"A fascinating piece to this trade came into place at the very end, when Crosby told Kubiak, again, that he wanted to do whatever he could to help the Raiders win," Breer added. "He said he still loves the organization and loves Davis, and, cognizant of his legacy with the team, wanted everyone to come out of what’s been a messy few months in the best place possible."