Maxx Crosby has not requested a trade, and both Mark Davis and Klint Kubiak have attempted to calm the waters after a few reports have indicated the star edge rusher wants nothing to do with another rebuild. A staring contest may emerge here, as the Raiders are understandably setting a high asking price.
Las Vegas would want a Micah Parsons-level return in a Crosby trade, veteran insider Jordan Schultz notes. The Cowboys received two first-rounders and Kenny Clark from the Packers last August. Parsons was 26 at the time of the trade, while Crosby is entering an age-29 season. That will affect the trade compensation, but Crosby being tied to a team-friendlier contract compared to what the Packers needed to authorize would help the Raiders’ case for a two-first-rounder package as well.
Pass rushers generally do not fetch this kind of return, but the Raiders were part of the other notable pickup. The Bears’ Khalil Mack package featured two firsts just before the 2018 season. After the Raiders finished with only 13 sacks in 2018, Crosby — as a 2019 fourth-round pick — stepped in to anchor the unit. He was part of Jon Gruden‘s rebuild effort, and the team has continued to cycle through head coaches and GMs since.
With Fernando Mendoza likely coming to Vegas, the team is set for another rebuild. Crosby has made it known he wants no part of that route, with a report indicating his camp is telling teams the the five-time Pro Bowler seeks a fresh start. This could lead to a staredown.
Like Parsons, Mack needed a new contract post-trade. Crosby’s $35.5MM-per-year extension runs through 2029, giving this trade landscape an interesting wrinkle. It took a $40MM-AAV extension for Myles Garrett to come off his hardline trade ask last year. Like Crosby, Garrett was dissatisfied with being an All-Pro talent in a rebuilding situation. Garrett had not been paid since 2020, but with Crosby being extended last March, it would be a surprise if this contract is a big issue.
Both Bradley Chubb and Frank Clark fetched first-round picks and other draft assets. Clark cost the Chiefs first-, second- and third-rounders, though Kansas City snared a third-rounder back from Seattle in that 2019 swap. Chubb and Clark were younger than Crosby at the time of the trades, but each also signed a new contract shortly after being moved. Ditto Jared Allen in 2008, who brought first- and third-rounders back to Kansas City from Minnesota. A pass rusher of Crosby’s age and caliber being moved without new money being involved adds intrigue here.
The Raiders do not have to act. Davis has slammed the door on trade interest in the past, and Kubiak is obviously interested in the Raiders keeping their top player to start his HC tenure. Crosby expressing frustration to the point this becomes a messy situation for the Raiders would bring a test for Davis, John Spytek and Tom Brady. Teams are unable to waive fines for players on veteran contracts who hold out of training camp. That would bring a test for Crosby’s motivation to leave Nevada.
Las Vegas’ front office-led effort to shut down Crosby — in a week where Brock Bowers was also placed on IR — irked the accomplished EDGE, and trade rumors have continually emerged since. Crosby did undergo surgery to repair his meniscus, and a monthslong recovery is on tap. This could slow trade talks, though with the eighth-year veteran not being in jeopardy of missing regular-season time, it would be hard to believe trade action would stop because of this rehab process.
It would make sense for the Raiders to move Crosby before the draft, if they ultimately do decide to ignite a bidding war, to accumulate assets to help Mendoza in his rookie year. The Cowboys and Gruden-era Raiders respectively waited until the late-summer trade window to move Parsons and Mack. How Crosby navigates the coming weeks will determine how serious the prospect of his Vegas exit becomes.
It’s like you ‘writers’ are willing this into a story. Pathetic
lol, it very much is. He went on a press tour and never once said he wanted to be a Raider. He could have ended this easily if he wanted. Instead he ranted on with corpo speak that didn’t say much about anything.