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Reason Ravens backed out of Maxx Crosby trade revealed

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Mar 11, 2026 3:24 PM ET

The Baltimore Ravens stunningly backed out of their trade for Maxx Crosby this week. Their decision came after teams such as the Las Vegas Raiders had already begun reaching agreements with players in free agency.

Since the Ravens’ decision, questions have arisen regarding why the team opted not to go through with the trade. Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network and Dianna Russini of The Athletic both offered the same explanation: the belief around the league is that the Ravens simply got “cold feet.”

One NFL general manager told me everybody involved in Maxx Crosby trade talks knew he would be out until June/July coming off meniscus surgery.

Consensus opinion I’ve got from NFL decision makers: Ravens got cold feet & it could impact how other teams work w/ BAL going forward.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) March 11, 2026

It’s been made clear by multiple people around the NFL at all levels that Baltimore had all the information and understood where Maxx Crosby’s knee was in terms of his recovery timeline.

Many in the league believe GM Eric DeCosta and the Ravens ultimately just got cold feet.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 11, 2026

Initial reports suggested Crosby failed his physical, but the Raiders characterized it as the Ravens backing out of the deal. Whether the Ravens had concerns about Crosby’s medical status or not, his knee injury was not a secret and there have been no indications he is behind in his recovery. In fact, Crosby’s agent was quick to state that Crosby is on track to be ready for the start of the season.

The Ravens certainly seem to have done themselves no favors in terms of league-wide perception. As Wolfe noted, if they are seen as an unreliable or fickle trade partner, other teams might not be as eager to do deals with them.

Crosby, meanwhile, remains with the Raiders for the time being. At the moment, the team is signaling that they plan to move forward with him, but that could certainly change if another team is aggressive enough to try to make a big offer.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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