Raiders GM's comments raise price for possible Maxx Crosby offseason trade

Crosby has been one of the few NFL Draft success stories for the Raiders in recent years, emerging as one of the league's premier pass-rushers after being selected in the fourth round (No. 106 overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft.

Las Vegas has had many more misses than hits in the draft in the years since, which helps explain its place as arguably the league's worst franchise. (The Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns and New York Jets might disagree.) Crosby has spent all seven of his NFL seasons with the Raiders, and the team has a 46-71 record, the sixth-worst mark during the 116-game span, per Stathead.

The Raiders placed him on season-ending injured reserve for the last two games of the 2025 season with a knee injury he initially suffered in Week 7, a decision Crosby "vehemently disagreed" with, according to Fox Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer.

The organization appears far from contention, making Crosby attractive on the trade market. His contract is also tradable for the Raiders, who would only be on the hook for $5,101,250, freeing up $30.69M in 2026 salary-cap space. That financial flexibility, plus added draft capital, could accelerate a rebuild.

But Las Vegas also doesn't need to be in a hurry to trade him, either. Per Over the Cap, the team already has the second-most-projected salary-cap space this offseason at an estimated $91.5M. It's expected to select Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, and we've seen several first-year quarterbacks produce immediate turnarounds in recent years, including C.J. Stroud, Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix.

Crosby would be immensely valuable if the Raiders somehow stun the football world and are actually good in 2026, and he'd still be just as appealing to playoff contenders if they're trending toward another losing season by the trade deadline. 

The onus should be on other teams to kick-start negotiations, not Las Vegas. Spytek's comments suggest there hasn't been much traction on that end yet this offseason. Until others are serious about trading for Crosby, the Raiders have no reason to watch him go.