Can the Raiders really contain the pass?
Looking to move on from Crosby and his $35.79 million cap hit, the Raiders agreed to a whopping $281.5 million in contracts on Monday alone. Vegas added the likes of Tyler Linderbaum, Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker, Kwity Paye, Jalen Nailor, Eric Stokes, Taron Johnson and more. It was clear Vegas wasn’t going to renege on any of his deals.
Financially, Vegas can keep Crosby as the centerpiece of a revamped defense, but that would hinder her mobility going forward. The passrusher has a $30 million cap hit this season. Crosby’s salary and cap hit drops to $29 million-plus next year, but with no guarantee money, if he returns from the injury, he could push for a new deal.
There is no question that Vegas is significantly better in 2026 with Crosby than without him. That was true before it made the deal with Baltimore. Spytek insisted he would not trade Crosby unless he was impressed with an offer. He got it from Baltimore in the form of two first round picks. Now that the cat is trying to stuff itself back into the bag, will GM settle for less or ride it out?
On Wednesday morning, Rapoport reported the following: Two months after a full meniscus repair, Crosby is “looking good and feeling good,” a source said. But the timing severely restricts possibility of business. (I added the bold for effect.)
Never say never in a drama-filled league, but it would be shocking if anyone came close to offering multiple first-round prospects. NFL front offices are all about acquisitions, and right now the Sharks are circling what they see as wounded prey. Injury concerns that are now very public alone would hurt returns. The added offense reduces the Raiders’ leverage. Frankly, it was a surprise that the Ravens were willing to part with two first-round picks. Given that others in the bidding war mostly moved on, those benefits won’t be coming back.
Time will tell if Syptek decides to take whatever he can get or if he actually believes what he said at the NFL Scouting Combine. Unless another team steps up to the plate immediately, the Raiders may wait until closer to the 2026 NFL Draft (April 23-25) to move Crosby. A wait would give the knee more time to heal and could make a team missing the roster even more desperate.