The Baltimore Ravens are heading into the 2026 offseason with a clear message: it’s time for a reset. After a 2025 season that fell well short of expectations, the cracks in the foundation became too big to ignore.
Some of those issues were rooted in coaching, and the front office wasted no time addressing that, bringing in Jesse Minter to take the reins. Minter’s already hard at work assembling a staff that looks poised to bring a fresh identity to Baltimore.
But coaching alone won’t fix what ailed this team. The roster needs a serious overhaul, especially in the trenches and the secondary.
Lamar Jackson remains the franchise centerpiece, with Derrick Henry and Kyle Hamilton offering elite talent on both sides of the ball. That’s a strong core-but it's not enough.
For this team to get back into the Super Bowl conversation, they need to hit on some major personnel moves. And it all starts with the pass rush.
Last year, the Ravens’ pass rush simply didn’t get the job done. The team failed to produce a single double-digit sack player, and the defense finished with just 30 sacks total.
That’s not going to cut it-not in a league where pressuring the quarterback is non-negotiable if you want to play deep into January. Baltimore needs a true game-changer off the edge.
And it just so happens that one might be available.
Why Maxx Crosby Should Be the Ravens’ Top Trade Target
Maxx Crosby and the Las Vegas Raiders aren’t exactly on the best of terms. Late in the 2025 season, tensions reportedly flared over whether Crosby should play through a knee injury. That disagreement opened the door to trade speculation, and the rumors haven’t gone away.
Crosby was recently listed among the top potential trade or release candidates this offseason by Joel Corry, who noted that any deal would likely require Crosby to push the issue with Raiders owner Mark Davis. It’s worth remembering that the Raiders gave Crosby a massive extension last March-three years, $106.5 million, with $91.5 million guaranteed and $62.5 million of that locked in at signing.
He’s still under contract for four more years at over $116 million total, so any move would be a blockbuster. But for a team like Baltimore, this is exactly the kind of swing they need to consider.
The Ravens have tried to patch together their edge presence with veterans like Kyle Van Noy and Jadeveon Clowney. While those guys brought experience and effort, neither provided the kind of consistent, high-level disruption that turns good defenses into elite ones. Crosby, on the other hand, is a proven wrecking ball.
In seven NFL seasons, Crosby has racked up 69.5 sacks, hit double digits four times, and earned five Pro Bowl selections along with two Second-Team All-Pro honors. He’s been a menace since the moment he entered the league-relentless, physical, and smart. He doesn't just get sacks-he changes games.
The Fit With Jesse Minter’s Defense
If Baltimore were to land Crosby, the fit with Jesse Minter’s scheme could be seamless. Minter’s defenses with the Chargers in 2024 and 2025 were among the league’s best at getting after the quarterback. He knows how to unleash edge talent, and Crosby’s motor and versatility would give him a dangerous new weapon to work with.
Pairing Minter’s aggressive, creative play-calling with Crosby’s elite skill set could give the Ravens a pass rush that finally lives up to the franchise’s defensive legacy. This isn’t just about adding a star-it’s about transforming the identity of the defense.
Baltimore has the core pieces in place. What they need now is a tone-setter, someone who can tilt the field and make quarterbacks uncomfortable from the first snap to the final whistle.
Maxx Crosby is that guy. If the Ravens are serious about contending in 2026, this is the kind of bold move that could put them over the top.