Could Maxx Crosby Be Eyeing the Windy City? Bears, Raiders Star DE Could Be on a Collision Course
Maxx Crosby isn’t saying it outright - but if you’re listening closely, the signs are there. The Raiders’ star edge rusher might be casting an eye toward a new home, and the Chicago Bears are starting to look like a potential landing spot.
Let’s connect the dots.
The Bears are heading into this offseason with a clear mission: build a defense that can dominate. They’ve got the cap space, they’ve got the draft capital, and they’ve got the motivation.
What they don’t have - yet - is a game-wrecking presence off the edge. That’s where Crosby, a five-time Pro Bowler and one of the league’s most relentless pass rushers, could come in.
Things between Crosby and the Raiders have gotten… tense. The tipping point?
Las Vegas made the decision to place him on injured reserve late in the season, saying it was “with Crosby’s best interest in mind.” Crosby didn’t see it that way.
According to FOX Sports insider Jay Glazer, Crosby was so frustrated by the move that he walked out on the team after hearing the news. That kind of friction doesn’t just go away - and it didn’t take long for trade rumors to start flying.
A few hypothetical deals have already surfaced, and one in particular has Bears fans buzzing.
In that scenario, Crosby would head to Chicago in exchange for wide receiver DJ Moore, a 2026 first- and fifth-round pick, plus a 2027 second-rounder. That’s a hefty price, no doubt - but for a player of Crosby’s caliber, it’s the kind of deal that could reshape a franchise.
Other proposals have Crosby landing with the Ravens or Commanders, but Chicago might be the one that truly has his attention. Why? Look no further than his own words.
On the January 20 episode of his podcast, The Rush With Maxx Crosby, the veteran defensive end couldn’t stop raving about Bears quarterback Caleb Williams - especially after that jaw-dropping fourth-down touchdown against the Rams in the Divisional Round.
“Nuts. I still can’t get over that throw,” Crosby said.
“That was one of the craziest - I couldn’t believe my eyes, bro. I was sitting there in silence like, what the (expletive)?
When he started sprinting directly back, I’m like, it’s over. And this (expletive) threw it from the 40 over the DBs.
That was one of the craziest plays I’ve seen, literally ever.”
That’s not just casual admiration. That’s a defensive star who’s tired of instability at quarterback - something he’s seen plenty of in Las Vegas - and who seems genuinely impressed by what’s happening in Chicago. You don’t heap that kind of praise on a young QB unless you’re intrigued by the idea of playing alongside him.
And while Bears head coach Ben Johnson and GM Ryan Poles didn’t say much when asked about Crosby in their end-of-season presser - Poles offered only a smirk and a coy “I don’t know” - the door isn’t closed. When a player’s under contract, execs have to tread carefully. But their body language said enough.
Crosby is under contract, and there’s no indication the Raiders are actively shopping him. But when a star player starts to show signs of frustration, and another team is in the perfect position to make a splash, you can’t ignore the smoke.
The Bears want a pass rush. Maxx Crosby might want a fresh start. And if he’s looking for a young quarterback to believe in, it sure sounds like he’s already found one in Chicago.