The botched Maxx Crosby trade sent shockwaves through the NFL. A planned trade of two first-round picks for the pass rusher fell apart due to the Baltimore Ravens’ concerns over Crosby’s knee injury.
As a result, the Raiders and Crosby are left to pick up the pieces. The position of the team and the player since the trade fell through has been that they will plow forward together in 2026.
In an interview with the team’s podcast network, GM John Spytek reiterated that he still values Crosby highly and believes the failed trade could turn out to be the best for the Raiders.
“My relationship with Maxx since coming here has been great,” Spytek said via the team’s official website. “We had a lot of conversations throughout the season, at the end of the season obviously, through the offseason, and obviously we were faced with a tough decision to make. Things have to go a certain way and work out the way they’re supposed to. We welcomed him like he never left, because he never really did.”
Spytek added that the team expects Crosby to be healthy again by August and, sharing the Ravens’ concerns, believes he has “a lot of good years ahead of him.”
The Raiders are back in position for a trade. They will likely still get calls about Crosby, but would only move the star pass if they receive a high-quality offer. If nothing materializes, Vegas is happy to ship the elite player with the rest of their revamped roster.