Insider still thinks Raiders could make blockbuster Maxx Crosby trade this year

By all accounts, the Las Vegas Raiders and Maxx Crosby are moving forward with their working relationship after the Baltimore Ravens backed out of acquiring the star pass-rusher earlier this offseason for reasons related to the meniscus repair he underwent following the 2025 campaign. 

For his latest mailbag, NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated repeated that it's not a guarantee that Crosby finishes the 2026 season as a member of the Raiders. 

When the Raiders could trade Maxx Crosby in 2026

"Is there a possibility that Crosby could be traded in November? Yeah, it’s not impossible," Breer wrote. "Here’s the hypothetical scenario: Nine games in, Crosby’s crushing it, looking healthy, and the Raiders, while showing promise, are 1–8. At that point, the Raiders wouldn’t have to shop him; the calls would come in. And as strong as the 2027 draft promises to be, maybe someone would give them something to think about."

Crosby signed a three-year contract extension last offseason but reportedly requested a trade before the Ravens contacted the Raiders about a potential deal. If Crosby shows through the end of October that his knee is just fine, he could be worth a decent haul to the Raiders as a movable asset before this fall's trade deadline. 

Which teams may want to trade for Maxx Crosby?

Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns has been the subject of all kinds of trade rumors throughout the offseason and was linked with the Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks before the 2026 draft. There's currently no sign that the Browns are actively shopping Garrett, but it remains to be seen if he'll end up with any of those teams before the trade deadline arrives. 

Meanwhile, the New England Patriots were said to be quite interested in Crosby earlier this year. One report claimed that Raiders minority owner Tom Brady did not want to send Crosby to the club that he guided to six Super Bowl championships during his Hall of Fame career, but Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf later said he'd "be surprised if that was true."