Report reveals Raiders' stance on Maxx Crosby trade

The Las Vegas Raiders were quick to shut down any talk of moving star pass-rusher Maxx Crosby ahead of the trade deadline in November, but there is a growing belief that the team's stance could change in the coming weeks.

In a column published on Saturday, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported that there are people around the NFL who believe the Raiders will be open to trading Crosby this upcoming offseason. Russini notes that the relationship between Crosby and the Raiders is currently "strained," and there are questions about whether it can be repaired.

Crosby signed a three-year, $106.5M contract extension with Las Vegas in March. That move came just days before the Raiders traded for quarterback Geno Smith and not long after they hired Pete Carroll as their head coach.

Maxx Crosby is unhappy with the Raiders

Crosby had been playing through a knee injury before the Raiders decided to place him on injured reserve and shut him down for the final two games of the season. Since they are 2-14 and in position to land the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Raiders decided they did not want to risk Crosby injuring himself further.

The decision did not sit well with Crosby, who reportedly stormed out of the building when he was informed he would be placed on injured reserve. Crosby has also been very outspoken about wanting to win and not caring about Las Vegas landing a high draft pick.

Carroll has since confirmed that Crosby did not agree with the team's decision to shut him down, and the 74-year-old coach said he understands Crosby's frustration.

Raiders have several key decisions to make

The 2025 season has been a complete disaster for the Raiders. They now have to decide if they want to bring Carroll back for a second season or accept that he was not the answer. Las Vegas' front office also needs to weigh whether a total rebuild and stock-piling as many draft picks as possible would be more beneficial than keeping a leader like Crosby as the anchor of the team's defense. There is also the obvious decision of whether Smith is the answer at quarterback.

Crosby had 10 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception in 15 games this season. The 28-year-old has double-digit sacks in three of his last four seasons. If Crosby does not agree with the way the Raiders approach the offseason, it is not out of the question that he will request a trade in order to play for a contender.