Maxx Crosby isn’t feeding the trade-rumor machine.
After months of noise around his future with the Raiders, the star pass-rusher said plainly that he wants to stay put. Crosby told Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated that he “is happy where he’s at” and has no desire to leave Las Vegas anytime soon.
“People don't even understand, I never wanted to leave in the first place,” Crosby explained. “But people have their own opinions on that.
And that is what it is. And that's part of it.
I never, ever wanted to leave this place. … I don't do business.
I'm not on the business side. I'm not on the third floor.
So I don't know. I'm not a mindreader.
I'm not a future predictor. I'm not going to do that.
I'm going to be present. I'm going to be the best Raider I can be for as long as I possibly can be.
And, yeah, I do want to be here. And I do plan on winning here.
And I do plan on continuing improving as a player and a person. And that's all I can control.”
The backdrop here matters. Before the Baltimore Ravens backed out of a deal that would have sent the Raiders two first-round draft picks for Crosby because of the meniscus repair he needed following the 2025 season, Crosby had requested a trade from the franchise that drafted him in 2019. Even with that history, there’s been no sign since the deal collapsed that he’s been pushing for a new start.
Breer also noted that first-year Raiders coach Klint Kubiak, general manager John Spytek and owner Mark Davis being “real” with Crosby earlier this year helped clear the air. Crosby said he’s handled the whole situation differently than he would have as a younger player.
“As a young guy, I would react a certain way, or get emotional or p---- off at this person, like, trust me, there's a lot of people I have on a list that I don't like anymore, because of that,” Crosby said. “And I'm just not going to give them a platform, because they want to talk about me, because I'm a popular subject at that time because of all the drama and stuff going on.
But it gave me a beautiful perspective on what the world is like, especially when things are going the other way. I learned a lot.
I evolved a lot. It allowed me to, really, take a step back so I can take three forward.
And I'm in an incredible place. And I know where everybody stands.
And that's actually … It's a beautiful place to be.”
There’s still a long way to go before anyone knows whether that feeling lasts through the season. Some have wondered if the Raiders could reopen the conversation if they’re sitting on a losing record before the November trade deadline. For now, though, Crosby says he’s locked in on being a Raider and leaving the rest alone.
In Other News...
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Ravens Face A New O-Line Reality Without Tyler Linderbaum
The Ravens have been forced to adjust to a new interior reality after Tyler Linderbaum left for Las Vegas, where the Raiders handed him a three-year, $81 million deal and immediately made clear why they valued him so highly. Their offensive line coach, Rick Dennison, has already talked up Linderbaums athleticism, leadership and the way he has fit into the room during training camp, a good reminder that Baltimore did not lose just a center, but a stabilizing force in the middle of the line.
For the Ravens, the bigger question is how the offense absorbs that kind of departure. Linderbaum had become one of the steadier pieces up front, and replacing that combination of movement skills and command is never simple, especially when the line is being asked to hold up the rest of the attack. Baltimore has built plenty of its identity around efficiency and physicality, so the spot where Linderbaum once anchored things is now one of the most important places to watch as the season develops. [Read more 🡒]