Cowboys Sent Raiders Multiple Offers For Maxx Crosby; Latest On Ravens’ Process
Maxx Crosby is back with the Raiders, thanks to the Ravens‘ controversial nixing of a blockbuster trade. While trade talks could reignite ahead of the draft or perhaps as far down the road as training camp, the All-Pro edge rusher has reaffirmed his commitment to the Raiders.
A number of teams were in the mix for the star defender, but the Cowboys were viewed as the runners-up to the Ravens. Baltimore’s decision to give up two first-round picks won the March trade derby — before it all unraveled days later — but Dallas made an aggressive pursuit that involved a few offers.
The Cowboys initially proposed a trade of Osa Odighizuwa and the second of their two first-round picks (No. 20) for Crosby, ESPN.com’s Ryan McFadden reports, before sweetening the deal. After Las Vegas rejected the proposals with Odighizuwa, McFadden indicates Dallas submitted a deal including its top first-round choice (No. 12) to go with a third-round pick. After the Raiders rejected that, the Cowboys submitted what is believed to be their final proposal: No. 12 and a second-round pick.
Because of the Quinnen Williams deadline deal, the Cowboys do not own a second-rounder this year. The Raiders seemingly rejected an offer of No. 12 and the Cowboys’ 2027 second-rounder. Understandably, the Ravens’ offer of two firsts made the Raiders’ decision easy.
Now that the Ravens backed out of the deal due to long-term concerns about Crosby’s knee, the Cowboys and other teams are free to make another run at a trade. But the Raiders are unlikely to fetch two first-rounders for a player the Ravens — external skepticism about the team’s motivations notwithstanding — failed on a physical.
Dallas considered moving back into the Crosby running after the failed trade, per McFadden, but the team has not made another run here. Though, Jerry Jones said that door is not closed. The Cowboys have been quite active with high-profile D-line transactions over the past year. They have gone from re-signing Odighizuwa (four years, $80MM) to trading him to the 49ers for a third-round pick. That trade came about because Dallas acquired Kenny Clark in the Micah Parsons deal and Williams months later. The Cowboys later reunited Clark with former Packers D-line mate Rashan Gary, who accepted a pay cut to facilitate the trade.
Gary and Crosby are in different leagues as pass rushers, with the former coming up as a Green Bay cap-casualty candidate before the Pack found a trade taker. The Cowboys also re-signed Sam Williams and used a 2025 second-round pick on Donovan Ezeiruaku.
The team would obviously upgrade with Crosby opposite Gary in Christian Parker‘s new 3-4 defense, but as our Ely Allen pointed out recently, Dallas bringing in a player Baltimore failed on a physical (as Cowboys team doctor Dan Cooper consulted with the Ravens, though he did not make the final call) stands to be a longer-odds proposition compared now that this information is out. A previous report also indicated the Cowboys are standing down.
Some in the Raiders’ building doubt the Ravens nixed the trade purely based on concerns about the eighth-year veteran’s knee, per McFadden, who adds Baltimore had a “full understanding” of Crosby’s meniscus injury and rehab timeline before making the trade. Casting further doubt on the Ravens’ much-debated plan to acquire Crosby and sign Trey Hendrickson, one GM (to put it mildly) does not believe Baltimore intended to pair both edge rushers, Jason La Canfora notes on Casino.org.
Other execs are skeptical regarding the Ravens’ decision, per McFadden, who indicates it is believed the Raiders were transparent about Crosby’s rehab timeline — one long expected to last months, not weeks. But long-term concerns about a “degenerative” knee issue, rather than Crosby’s 2026 status, have been mentioned as the reason for the trade being called off. The Ravens were hesitant to meet Hendrickson’s $40MM-per-year asking price, McFadden notes, joining others in that regard (teams viewed the ex-Bengal as more likely to land $25-$27MM-per-year range, which is roughly where this wrapped). Hendrickson’s price coming down allowed the Ravens to pivot from Crosby quickly, inviting considerable scrutiny from around the league.
An irked Crosby was back at the Raiders’ facility early the next morning, and Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer adds the longtime Las Vegas pillar appreciated both John Spytek and Klint Kubiak reaching out shortly after the failed trade. Joining our Adam La Rose in this assessment, Breer does not anticipate the Raiders trading Crosby before Week 1. The veteran reporter views the trade deadline as the more logical reevaluation point. By that point, Crosby (29 in August) will have had a chance to display full health after an expected recovery from a Jan. 7 meniscus surgery.
Additionally, some in the agent community viewed the Ravens’ conservative reputation — having never traded a first-round pick for a veteran — as a reason the Raiders should have been leery here. The opportunity for the Ravens to add Hendrickson without giving up two firsts has called many to cite this as an example of an organization getting cold feet, and the physical not taking place until Tuesday put both teams in a bind due to free agency’s peak hours unfolding before that point.
The most notable Raven or Raider transaction to occur in that time brought Tyler Linderbaum to Las Vegas on a three-year, $81MM deal (a pact essentially coming fully guaranteed) that set a record for all interior O-line accords. The Raiders may not have signed both Malcolm Koonce (one year, $11MM) and Kwity Paye (three years, $48MM) had they known Crosby would end up staying, McFadden adds. Though, the team has run into endless trouble finding complementary Crosby rushers. Perhaps this snafu could prove beneficial on that front.
While Crosby going from requesting a trade to being recommitted to the Raiders represents a fascinating development — especially with Vegas not initially seeking to trade him — more departure rumors will undoubtedly return at some point. But the Raiders may now need to see their best player rebuild his trade value. That could certainly lead to a Crosby-Paye-Koonce-Tyree Wilson EDGE setup in place to open the season.
AFC West Contract Details: Thornton, Koonce, Tomlinson, Booker
Here are the latest details from contracts recently reached in the AFC West:
- Tyquan Thornton, WR (Chiefs): Two years, $11MM. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Thornton’s new deal has $7.4MM in guaranteed money at signing, including a $4MM signing bonus. The remaining guaranteed money comes from his 2026 salary ($1.4MM) and $2MM of his 2027 salary ($5.4MM).
- Malcolm Koonce, DE (Raiders): One year, $11.01MM. Per Wilson, Koonce’s re-upped agreement is worth slightly more than the originally reported figure of $11MM. The one-year deal has $10.5MM guaranteed at signing, made up of a $5.25MM signing bonus and a single-year base salary for the same $5.25MM amount. Koonce will have the chance to earn an additional $510K by making the most of a $30K per game active roster bonus.
- Dalvin Tomlinson, DT (Chargers): One year, $6.2MM. Disputing an originally reported amount of $7.5MM with $6MM guaranteed, Wilson reports the above-stated base value with $5.69MM fully guaranteed at signing, comprised of a $3MM signing bonus and Tomlinson’s 2026 base salary ($2.69MM). Like Koonce, Tomlinson can earn an additional $510K with his $30K per game active roster bonus.
- Thomas Booker, DE (Raiders): One year, $3.67MM. According to Wilson, Booker signed his free agent tender at the above-stated value.
- Spencer Burford, G (Raiders): One year, $3.26MM. Per Wilson, Burford’s deal includes $2.75MM in guaranteed money at signing, consisting of a $1.5MM signing bonus and his 2026 base salary ($1.25MM). Burford will also enjoy the same per game active roster bonus potential as Koonce and Tomlinson for as much as $510K.
- Denzel Perryman, LB (Chargers): One year, $2.79MM. Per Wilson, Perryman’s contract only contains $500K in guaranteed money at signing, consisting of a $200K signing bonus and $300K of base salary ($1.3MM). The bulk of Perryman’s contract value comes in an inflated per game active roster bonus. Unlike the others, Perryman’s bonus is $70K per game with a potential maximum value of $1.19MM.
- Trey Lance, QB (Chargers): One year, $2.5MM. While the maximum value of $6.75MM was known, the above-stated base value was previously unreported. Per Wilson, the deal for Lance includes $2MM fully guaranteed at signing made up of an $800K signing bonus and $1.2MM of his base salary ($1.7MM). That means $4MM will be available in incentives for Lance in 2026.
- Josh Harris, LS (Chargers): One year, $1.82MM. According to Wilson, the long snapper’s deal is fully guaranteed at signing with a $187.5K signing bonus and base salary of $1.63MM.
- Kader Kohou, CB (Chiefs): One year, $1.81MM. Wilson reports that Kohou’s deal is also fully guaranteed with a signing bonus of $665K and base salary of $1.15MM.
- Matt Gay, K (Raiders): One year, $1.6MM. Per Wilson, the Raiders’ new kicker can earn up to $2.25MM on this contract that only has $1.35MM of guaranteed money at signing, $200K from his signing bonus and $1.15MM of his base salary ($1.4MM). $650K will be available to Gay through an incentive based on his field goal percentage.
- Mike Caliendo, G (Chiefs): One year, $1.35MM. Per Wilson, Caliendo’s new deal includes $650K fully guaranteed at signing, consisting of a signing bonus of $150K and $500K of his base salary ($1.15MM). Caliendo can also earn up to $50K with a per game active roster bonus of $2.94K.
- Emari Demercado, RB (Chiefs): One year, $1.25MM. According to Wilson, Demercado’s contract includes $550K of full guarantees at signing made up of a $50K signing bonus and $500K of his base salary ($1.15MM). He’ll have the same per game active roster bonus as Caliendo, giving him the potential to add on another $50K in 2026.
Raiders To Re-Sign DL Malcolm Koonce
Malcolm Koonce is sticking in Las Vegas. The free agent defensive end is re-signing with the Raiders, according to Josina Anderson.
The 2021 third-round pick is signing a new one-year contract, per Anderson. The deal is worth $11MM.
Koonce is inking a one-year deal for the second-straight offseason. Last year, he re-upped with the Raiders on a $12MM contract. After missing the entire 2024 season thanks to a knee injury, he bounced back in 2025 with 30 tackles and 4.5 sacks. For his efforts, Pro Football Focus graded him 83rd among 119 qualifying edge defenders.
Koonce graded much better during his last healthy season in 2023. That breakout campaign saw the pass rusher compile eight sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and 17 QB hits, earning him a 22nd-place showing by PFF. He had a standout performance during a Week 16 win over the Chiefs, when he tallied eight pressures and three sacks on Patrick Mahomes.
The Raiders have been busy adding to their defense today, signing the likes of Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker, and Kwity Paye. Still, with the departure of pass rusher Maxx Crosby, Koonce could once again find himself playing a significant role on the Raiders defense in 2026.
Raiders’ Malcolm Koonce Returns To Practice
Raiders edge rusher Malcolm Koonce returned to practice this week after missing all of the 2024 season with a knee injury, per Tashan Reed of The Athletic.
Koonce was expected to build on a solid 2023 campaign heading into a contract year last summer. Instead, he tore his ACL in the team’s last practice before the start of the regular season, and the subsequent surgery sidelined him for nine months. Despite the injury, the Raiders’ new regime made the 2021 third-rounder a priority this offseason and re-signed him to a one-year, $11MM contract.
The length makes it somewhat of a ‘prove-it’ deal, but $10MM is fully-guaranteed and only an additional $1MM is tied to playtime incentives, a sign of the team’s confidence in Koonce’s recovery. Overall, it’s a strong contract coming off a major injury, especially with new leadership in Las Vegas that let other 2021 draft picks like Tre’von Moehrig and Nate Hobbs leave in free agency this offseason.
The Raiders are clearly expecting Koonce to return to his pre-injury trajectory. After just four combined sacks and tackles for loss in his first two seasons, he posted 17 in 2023, plus three forced fumbles. He started 11 games, but finished the season with just a 44% snap share, indicating that Koonce’s production has room to go with more playing time.
A smooth return to the field will slot Koonce in as a starting edge defender opposite Maxx Crosby. The Raiders don’t have much depth behind them; 2022 No. 7 pick Tyree Wilson has been a steady contributor but hasn’t lived up to his draft billing, and Charles Snowden didn’t make much of an impact in his nine starts last season. Las Vegas also signed Jah Joyner and Jahfari Harvey as undrafted rookie depth to add to 2024 UDFA Amari Gainer.
Raiders To Re-Sign Malcolm Koonce
Malcolm Koonce represented one of the more interesting free agents in this year’s group of edge rushers. Rather than taking a deal with a new team, though, he will remain in Vegas.
Koonce has agreed to re-sign with the Raiders on a one-year deal, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. Even though he missed all of the 2024 campaign, this deal is worth $12MM. A short-term approach makes sense from the team’s perspective, but that is a notable financial commitment in the wake of Maxx Crosby‘s new deal.
The Raiders were unable retain Tre’von Moehrig, Nate Hobbs or Robert Spillane today, despite Pete Carroll expressing interest in each prior-regime investment sticking around. But the team is bringing back Koonce and Adam Butler, whom Las Vegas re-signed Sunday night. They will continue as Crosby complementary pieces.
For Koonce, this will be a “prove it” deal. The Raiders have good reason for putting Koonce to a test (albeit a well-paid one). Other than a second-half eruption in 2023, the former third-round pick does not have much to show statistically for his NFL career. But as the Raiders’ Chandler Jones signing revealed itself to be one of the decade’s worst moves, Koonce stepped up ahead of top-10 pick Tyree Wilson.
Koonce finished the 2023 season with eight sacks; the Buffalo alum compiled all those from Week 9 on. Peaking with a three-sack performance during a Raiders Christmas Day upset of the Chiefs, Koonce also added two more in the Raiders’ 63-21 romp over the Chargers — one that ultimately led Tom Telesco to Vegas. Telesco is already out as GM, and after Koonce did not have a chance to build on his 2023 season (thanks to a season-ending knee injury sustained in a late-summer practice), Carroll, John Spytek and Tom Brady will observe his 2025 progress.
Playing on a defensive front housing Crosby and Christian Wilkins‘ monster contracts, it is possible Koonce will be auditioning for a 2026 free agency bid this coming season.
Raiders To Prioritize Deals For Malcolm Koonce, Tre’von Moehrig, Robert Spillane
The Raiders were unable to build on their 2021 wild-card appearance, having changed HCs and GMs twice since that game. But the new Las Vegas staff remains interested in some continuity despite this batch of free agents having arrived the Jon Gruden-Mike Mayock and Josh McDaniels-Dave Ziegler regimes.
The team is expected to prioritize new deals for safety Tre’von Moehrig and linebacker Robert Spillane, the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore notes. Moehrig arrived as a Gruden-Mayock second-round draftee, while Spillane signed during the second and final McDaniels-Ziegler offseason.
Moehrig is expected to garner considerable interest in free agency, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler adds. The Raiders used Moehrig closer to the line of scrimmage in 2024, and he posted big numbers in a contract year. Moehrig set new career highs in tackles (104) and passes defensed (10), showing he could make an impact in this area as well as in a deep safety role. While the Raiders’ defense regressed in 2024, they are retaining DC Patrick Graham and want to keep some of his top pieces.
Malcolm Koonce did not have a chance to build on his promising 2023, suffering a knee injury just before the season. Still, his first go-round as a regular edge rusher will generate free agency interest. Pete Carroll said (via The Athletic’s Vic Tafur) the team wants Koonce back as well. While the ex-Seahawks HC spoke of retaining more free agents, he singled out Koonce, who broke through for eight sacks during his 11-start 2023.
Spillane played on a two-year, $7MM deal — after mostly working as a Steelers backup over the course of his rookie contract. The Raiders unlocked more from the former UDFA, using him as a starter in every game over the past two seasons. Spillane led the team in tackles (148, 158) in each season and combined for 17 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and five INTs in that span. Off-ball linebackers have seen their market stall in recent years, but Spillane (29) brought value and will likely secure a better contract compared to his 2023 terms. We heard around the midseason point the Raiders would push to retain their three-down LB.
The Raiders trail only the Patriots in cap space, holding nearly $100MM. Considering Carroll, new GM John Spytek and heavily involved part-owner Tom Brady are new, a host of fresh faces will likely come enter the picture after a 4-13 season. But it sounds like the Raiders will make efforts to bring back some of their own talent before they hit the market March 10.
Raiders DE Malcolm Koonce To Miss Season
The Raiders got some bad news to start the season when it was announced that breakout pass rusher Malcolm Koonce would miss at least the first four games of the season after being placed on injured reserve the day before the season opener. Today, that news just got a lot worse as Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report breaks that Koonce a serious knee injury suffered in a recent practice will in fact end his 2024 campaign.
The team had been holding out hope that Koonce would be able to make a return at some point in the season if the injury wasn’t too severe, per Schultz. After weighing several options, though, it was determined that a surgery was necessary, one that would end Koonce’s 2024 season.
A former third-round pick for Las Vegas out of Buffalo, Koonce spent all but five games of his rookie season sitting out with injury. Despite not making his NFL debut until Week 13 and although he only played seven snaps, Koonce delivered a sack in his first game of professional football. He would repeat the feat a week later, while only playing 15 snaps. Those 15 defensive snaps were the most action he’d see in his first two years as he spent most of his sophomore campaign on special teams.
After the depth chart cleared out a bit with the departures of Chandler Jones and Clelin Ferrell, Koonce was finally able to get ample snaps on defense last year, starting 11 games. Making the most of his time, Koonce delivered a breakout season, tallying career highs in total tackles (43), sacks (8.0), tackles for loss (9), quarterback hits (17), and forced fumbles (3). With Koonce heading into the final year of his rookie deal with plenty to prove, the Raiders were excited to have Koonce as a productive pass rusher across from defensive star Maxx Crosby this season.
This news is obviously toughest on Koonce, who, after two years, had finally distanced himself from an injury-plagued rookie season. The fourth-year defender was likely looking forward to putting forth another career year in a contract year, setting himself up for a big payday via extension or free agency. Instead, teams will have to speculate off of the 2023 season (his freshest work), and any deals he signs will likely be heavily dependent on a physical.
Another member of the 2021 NFL Draft class, Janarius Robinson has stepped up in Koonce’s absence so far this season. Robinson hasn’t registered a stat in the first few weeks of the season, but Las Vegas doesn’t have much choice but to stick with him as they work to find someone to work across from Crosby. Former first-round pick Tyree Wilson suffered a knee sprain in the team’s season opener and missed last week’s win over the Ravens as a result.
With Wilson and Koonce out, the team signed Charles Snowden from the practice squad to the active roster and filled his spot on the taxi squad with another former first-round pick in K’Lavon Chaisson. The team was already seeking options to add more pass rushers, but with the Koonce news today, they’ll be even more pressed to make a move.
Raiders Place DE Malcolm Koonce On IR
Expectations are high for the Raiders’ front seven in 2024, but the unit will be shorthanded to begin the year and potentially well into the season. Defensive end Malcolm Koonce was placed on injured reserve Saturday.
[Offseason In Review: Las Vegas Raiders]
As a result, he will miss at least the first four weeks of the season. Koonce suffered a knee injury in practice this week, but his absence could stretch far beyond September. ESPN’s Paul Guiterrez reports the ailment could be season-ending.
Losing Koonce for any extended stretch would mark a notable blow to Vegas’ pass rush. Maxx Crosby remains atop the depth chart, and the three-time Pro Bowler will be counted on to deliver another impactful campaign this year. Koonce was set to operate as the other starter at the defensive end spot, however, after he set a number of career highs in 2023. The 26-year-old saw a major uptick in usage last season, logging a 44% snap share and making 11 starts (after exclusively playing in a rotational capacity during his first two campaigns).
Koonce produced eight sacks, 17 quarterback hits and 23 pressures in 2023, setting the stage for another strong year to conclude his rookie contract. The former third-rounder was reported in July to be on the Raiders’ extension radar, and a second straight year with strong production would have helped his value considerably. Now, though, attention will turn to recovery with team and player hoping he will able to return at some point in the season.
Vegas selected Tyree Wilson seventh overall last year with the hopes of using him in a first-team role opposite Crosby. Things did not go according to plan, though, as Wilson recorded just 3.5 sacks and logged a rotational workload. With Koonce out of the fold for the time being, the Texas Tech alum could be in line for a larger role than anticipated to start the 2024 season.
In a corresponding move, the Raiders promoted Charles Snowden from the practice squad to the active roster. The 26-year-old has only made two regular season appearances in his career; they came with the Bears in 2021. Snowden will be a candidate for a depth role, as will 2023 fourth-rounder Janarius Robinson. Vegas’ campaign begins tomorrow against the Chargers, but Koonce’s recovery timeline will prove to be a key big-picture storyline for the team.
Malcolm Koonce On Raiders’ Extension Radar?
New Raiders general manager Tom Telesco has made a few key additions this offseason, but the team has a number of extension-eligible players who could make a case for new deals. An evaluation period for those contributors would not come as a surprise during Telesco’s first campaign at the helm.
Nevertheless, a small number of players could be in line for an extension. One of those is edge rusher Malcolm Koonce, whom The Athetic’s Vic Tafur notes is highly regarded by the team’s staff (subscription required). The 26-year-old barely saw any defensive time across his first two seasons with the team, but things changed in 2023. Koonce logged a 44% snap share in addition to a heavy special teams workload.
Seeing time both as a base end as well as a stand-up rusher, the former third-rounder enjoyed a strong third season in the NFL. Koonce racked up eight sacks, 17 quarterback hits, 23 pressures and three forced fumbles while playing 500 defensive snaps. As Tafur writes, Vegas’ staff is confident further development can take place moving forward, and as such an extension would be logical from the team’s perspective. One year remains on Koonce’s rookie contract.
As a result, the Buffalo alum is due $1.34MM in 2024. A new deal would no doubt check in at a much higher rate, depending on how optimistic the Raiders are regarding Koonce’s ability to develop into a full-time starter. The team has already made one of the league’s most lucrative edge investments with Maxx Crosby, and free agency brought about the high-priced addition of defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. With those two in the fold, Vegas already has plenty of money committed to the defensive front.
Koonce – who ranked 22nd amongst edge defenders with an overall PFF grade of 81.3 last season – could increase his market value with another strong season in 2024 and thus make a Raiders re-up more expensive next spring than it would be now. The team has plenty of financial wiggle room at the moment, but Telesco is not expected to make any more splashy moves this offseason.
Tafur names linebacker Robert Spillane as the player likely second in a hypothetical extension pecking order, and several other defenders are also candidates for a new deal. Koonce could play his way into the most lucrative one, however, so it will be interesting to see if the Raiders show urgency in pursuing an agreement.
AFC Notes: Deablo, Koonce, Zappe
The Raiders turned heads when they selected offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood in the first round of the 2021 draft. His play as a rookie didn’t ease concerns that he represented a reach being taken that high, but other rookies provided cause for optimism in 2022 and beyond.
In a breakdown of the entire class’ roster standing and outlook for the upcoming campaign, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal writes that a number of players the Raiders drafted after Leatherwood impressed in their inaugural seasons, and are in line for larger workloads in 2022. One of those is linebacker Divine Deablo, whom the Raiders chose at N0. 80 last year.
The Virginia Tech alum spent his rookie season converting from safety, which he played in college. He finished the season strong, though, starting five games and making 45 tackles. His pass coverage was a sore spot, leading to a PFF grade of only 53.7 in that department. Still, the departure of veteran Cory Littleton should open up a permanent starting role for Deablo, making him a player the Raiders “can comfortably count on.”
Here are some other AFC notes, including one more from that same Raiders piece:
- Bonsignore identifies Malcolm Koonce as another young player who could see significantly more playing time in his second NFL campaign. The 24-year-old was on the field for only 48 defensive snaps as a rookie, but he managed to record a pair of sacks with that limited opportunity. With Carl Nassib no longer on the roster, the No. 79 pick has been practicing as a backup to defensive end Maxx Crosby, Bonsignore notes. At six-foot-two, 250 pounds, however, he could also see time rotating in for Chandler Jones as a stand-up rusher. In all, Koonce could project as somewhat of a breakout candidate for the team’s defense.
- On a different note, the Patriots will use training camp to establish the pecking order at QB behind Mac Jones. The team has veteran Brian Hoyer in the No. 2 spot for now, but fourth round rookie Bailey Zappe will be competing with him for the role. ESPN’s Mike Reiss reports that at this point, it “seems like a long shot” that the latter will win the backup job. The team preferring the veteran would come as little surprise; Zappe threw for 62 touchdowns last season at Western Kentucky, but is widely regarded as a raw prospect in need of significant developmental time. As Reiss recalls, though, Hoyer himself has experienced unexpectedly winning the backup role as a rookie before, and this could be a key positional battle to watch when training camp begins later this month.