Should the Raiders Consider Trading Maxx Crosby?

The NFL trade deadline is almost here. The Raiders could make a major move to help their future by trading away Maxx Crosby. 

Las Vegas sits at 4-4, and is in the hunt for a playoff spot. But Crosby is the most valuable trade asset on the roster and could help speed up the rebuild. However, Crosby doesn’t want to be shipped out. 

“I’m excited about everything, I love being a Raider,” Crosby told The Athletic. “This is where I want to be. Superexcited for, obviously the present, but what’s to come as well.”

The Raiders did agree to trade Crosby in the offseason, as Baltimore agreed to send two first round picks to Las Vegas. But the Ravens ultimately backed out of the deal due to a failed physical, and Crosby returned to the Raiders. 

General manager John Spytek made the decision to trade Crosby because he felt the first-round picks would help more than the defensive end. Crosby is 29 years old and could be completely out of his prime by the time the Raiders are contenders. 

That same logic should apply now, even if the Raiders have been more competitive in 2026 than expected. 

Spytek spent the offseason looking to the future. The biggest sign was drafting Fernando Mendoza with the first pick of the draft, but deciding to sit him behind Kirk Cousins. The Raiders were not interested in Mendoza helping them win games in 2026. Las Vegas wants Mendoza to be a superstar for years to come and help the franchise dig out of the bottom of the NFL. 

Even though the Raiders are 4-4, their odds to make the playoffs are still slim. Chasing after a playoff appearance to end up as an eight win team on the outside of the postseason would be the worst case scenario. 

Trading away Crosby for picks would be a return to the thought process the front office had in the offseason. The Raiders are trying to build a Super Bowl contender. That won’t happen for a couple of seasons, so don’t worry about the results in 2026.