The Las Vegas Raiders are staring down one of their most consequential offseasons in recent memory. With a new head coach and quarterback on the horizon, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Get those two decisions right, and the franchise might finally find the stability it's been searching for. Miss the mark, and it could set the team back years.
But while the spotlight is understandably on the leadership positions, the rest of the roster can’t be ignored. This isn’t a team that’s just one or two pieces away.
Nearly every position group could use some level of reinforcement. And then there’s the looming question surrounding Maxx Crosby - a player who’s not only the face of the defense but arguably the heartbeat of the entire organization.
Crosby’s name has been swirling in trade rumors for what feels like forever. Both he and the Raiders have publicly shut those down in the past, but the noise hasn’t gone away. In fact, it’s only gotten louder, with some suggesting there may now be real tension between the star pass rusher and the front office.
That brings us to a prediction that’s got Raider Nation on edge.
During a recent episode of The TK Show, Bay Area reporter Tim Kawakami floated the idea that Crosby could be on the move - and not just anywhere, but to the San Francisco 49ers. According to Kawakami, the Niners have had their eye on Crosby for a while and believe he’s a perfect complement to Nick Bosa on the edge. He even went so far as to say he thinks the Raiders will trade him based on how things ended this past season.
Now, let’s be clear: this isn’t a report of an imminent deal. It’s a prediction. But it’s one that hits a nerve for Raiders fans, and for good reason.
Crosby has been everything the Silver and Black could ask for since being drafted in the fourth round back in 2019. He plays with relentless energy, leads by example, and has become a fan favorite not just for his production - five Pro Bowl nods and two All-Pro selections don’t happen by accident - but for how deeply he’s embraced the Raiders identity. He's the kind of player you build around, not move on from.
And if the idea of trading Crosby is hard for fans to stomach, the thought of him suiting up for the 49ers is downright nauseating. The Raiders may have left the Bay Area, but the rivalry between these two franchises - and more importantly, their fanbases - hasn’t gone anywhere.
There’s also some precedent here. When it became clear that Khalil Mack’s time in silver and black was ending, Raiders owner Mark Davis reportedly refused to send him to San Francisco. Whether that same mindset holds true in the Crosby situation remains to be seen, but it’s worth remembering.
The best-case scenario for the Raiders? They squash the trade chatter once and for all, recommit to Crosby as a foundational piece, and work to repair any possible rift that may have developed. Because if this offseason is truly about charting a new course for the franchise, keeping one of the league’s elite edge rushers - and one of the most beloved players in recent team history - should be a no-brainer.
But until there’s clarity, the uncertainty lingers. And for Raider Nation, the idea of watching Maxx Crosby in red and gold is as close to a nightmare as it gets.