Surgeon shares huge update on Raiders' Maxx Crosby after Ravens back out of trade

Outsiders were left guessing about the state of Maxx Crosby's surgically-repaired knee after it was learned on Tuesday that the Baltimore Ravens had backed out of their agreement to acquire the star pass-rusher from the Las Vegas Raiders because Crosby reportedly did not pass his physical.

Via a statement shared on X, agent CJ LaBoy later said that "Maxx continues to be on track in his recovery and if anything is ahead of schedule according to his surgeon, Dr. Neal El Attrache." On Wednesday morning, Attrache spoke with ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter about Crosby's ongoing recovery. 

How Maxx Crosby is reportedly recovering

"Maxx Crosby is doing very well in the early part of his rehab and recovery from surgery to treat a significant meniscus tear and the related stress injury to the bone and cartilage in his knee," Attrache explained. "He is certainly on track in his planned program…he feels very well and is already much improved compared to before surgery." 

A February report shared that Crosby's recovery from his meniscus repair would be "measured in months, not weeks." That said, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated noted that three unnamed general managers told him they felt the Ravens simply got "cold feet" and that "it was pretty unlikely that any disqualifying surprise surfaced during the physical." 

How Maxx Crosby's camp is reacting to Ravens' decision

For what it's worth, Attrache took no shot at the Ravens during his chat with Schefter.

"We truly respect the work of the Ravens staff with Maxx regarding the contract physical exam," Attrache continued. "We also understand the challenge the staff faces when tasked to provide a future risk assessment based on an evaluation early in the recovery process. This is especially challenging when dealing with an elite player like Maxx, considering the level of commitment necessary for a team to obtain him. The timing of this assessment is unfortunate because the apparent risk will lessen as his recovery progresses and his return to performance over the next few months becomes clear."

According to Schefter, the Raiders "are prepared to get Crosby healthy and have him play for Las Vegas" during the 2026 season after Crosby reportedly requested a trade following the 2025 campaign. A different team may eventually be willing to trade for Crosby and then give him a passing grade for his physical, but it's possible that such a deal won't occur before the NFL Draft gets underway on April 23. 

Crosby and the Raiders agreed to a three-year, $106.5M contract extension last offseason. It's unknown if he'd be willing to continue playing for a Las Vegas side that took steps to improve its roster during the "legal tampering" portion of free agency and is expected to make Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza the first overall pick of this year's draft.