The offseason isn’t even one week old, and the Maxx Crosby trade rumors are already getting pretty loud. Widely considered to be one of the game’s premier pass rushers, Crosby was perhaps the only bright spot on an otherwise disastrous Raiders team. Making his fifth straight Pro Bowl appearance, the seven-year veteran finished the 2025 season with 10 sacks, 73 tackles, 28 tackles-for-loss, and a 79.7 PFF grade, the 16th-best mark out of 116 eligible players. Teams never want to trade elite players at premium positions, but Crosby might force his way out in the coming months.
Maxx Crosby “Done” With Raiders; Wants Trade
Trade rumors surrounded Maxx Crosby throughout the previous offseason, and the tensions between player and team have only gotten worse in the past few months. The Raiders placed the veteran on the injured reserve in December, forcing him to miss the final two games of the season. The pass rusher disagreed with this decision and reportedly stormed out of the building. While he eventually returned to the organization, ESPN’s Kalyn Kahler reports that Crosby is “done with Vegas.”
The Raiders will try to keep Maxx Crosby, but there will be no shortage of teams ready to trade for him. If the pass rusher can force his way out of town, it will probably be to one of the following three teams.
Main Photo: Jay Biggerstaff – Imagn Images
3. New York Jets
The New York Jets are not ready to compete, but that shouldn’t stop them from pursuing a Maxx Crosby trade. Head coach Aaron Glenn will get a second year to turn this ship around, but there’s a lot of work to be done. While the quarterback position is the biggest need, New York must do something to improve a defense that couldn’t force a single interception last year. This team needs cornerbacks, but they also need someone who can pressure the quarterback and force poor throws.
The New York Jets have two first-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. While they’d never give up the second-overall pick for Crosby, they might be willing to part ways with the 16th-overall selection. If the Jets use those selections on Crosby and a franchise quarterback, then they might just surprise teams in 2026.
2. Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions have a good roster, but this past season proved they need more high-end talent to compete in a loaded NFC North. At 9-8, Detroit narrowly missed the Wild Card, but they probably would have earned a postseason spot if they had a competent pass rusher to complement former second-overall pick Aidan Hutchinson. Crosby and Hutchinson would be one of the league’s most dangerous duos and should terrify opposing quarterbacks.
The biggest question here is how to make the money work. As of this posting, the Lions are $5 million over the salary cap, and Crosby recently signed a massive extension. Detroit will have to get creative with the salary cap, but the upside might be worth making a few cost-saving moves.
1. New England Patriots
Last year at this time, the New England Patriots were 4-13 and had just fired first-year head coach Mike Vrabel. Now, the team holds the second seed in the AFC and has Drake Maye playing like an MVP. No matter what happens in the playoffs, this season has been an outstanding success for the New England Patriots. Now, it’s time for them to take advantage of having an MVP-caliber quarterback on a rookie contract and build a championship roster.
The pass rush is arguably the biggest weakness on the New England Patriots, and a Maxx Crosby trade would turn that into a major strength. Adding him to this defensive line should give New England one of the league’s better defenses, and they have the cap space to land Crosby and bolster the rest of the roster. Who knows how long their playoff run will last this year, but they should be Super Bowl favorites next year if they pull this off.
