Maxx Crosby’s name keeps surfacing in trade chatter, and the latest noise only added fuel to the fire.
The Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher has been linked heavily to the San Francisco 49ers in recent weeks, with Raiders insider Hondo Carpenter previously calling the team’s interest in him “nuclear-hot.” That buzz picked up again this week after Crosby had some eye-opening things to say about Brock Purdy in the NFL’s Top 100 players of 2026.
In the video, Crosby praised the 49ers quarterback this way:
"You've seen Brock in his own right make some plays and do certain things that are just system-quarterback-type plays. He's one of the better young quarterbacks in the league.
He's talented. You see that with how great that offense is able to operate."
Then, at a recent fan event, a young fan asked Crosby whether he would consider joining Purdy. Crosby didn’t shut the door.
"I can't. I still appreciate you doing your homework, though. You never know."
The 49ers aren’t the only team in the mix. The Dallas Cowboys have also been mentioned as a possible landing spot for Crosby after showing interest in him during the 2025 season before choosing to address their run defense with Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson instead.
Dallas still has a clear need up front. With last year’s starters Jadeveon Clowney and Dante Fowler Jr. gone, the team is again short on proven pass rushers, even with first-round rookie Malachi Lawrence in the picture. That’s why analyst Bryan Broaddus recently floated a deal on 105.3 The Fan that would send George Pickens and a first-round pick to Las Vegas for Crosby.
"I think (Crosby) absolutely will (have a bigger impact than Pickens). ... I know Pickens was incredible last year. But the one thing that is holding you back is this defense."
Crosby is currently in the final year of the four-year extension he signed in 2022, and he also has a three-year extension that will begin in 2027.
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Raiders May Have Finally Found Maxx Crosby The Help He Needs
For years, the Raiders have leaned on Maxx Crosby to carry their pass rush, and this offseason they finally gave him a proven running mate in Kwity Paye. The move gives Las Vegas a potential No. 2 edge rusher for the 2026 season, a role the defense has been trying to fill while Rob Leonard looks for more consistent pressure up front.
Paye joins a group that also includes Keyron Crawford and Malcolm Koonce, though Koonce is still working back from a knee injury. The hope is straightforward: if Paye can supply steady production opposite Crosby, the Raiders defense should look a lot less one-dimensional, and the pressure on Crosby to do everything himself could start to ease. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Fans Wont Like The Latest Maxx Crosby Trade Rumor
The chatter around Maxx Crosby is starting to sound familiar again, and Raiders fans have heard this kind of thing before. With Dallas searching for answers after a rough 2025 on defense, the Cowboys have been tied to the idea of chasing one of the leagues most disruptive edge rushers, even though Crosby kept producing through injuries and remained one of Las Vegas most important defenders.
The latest version of the rumor comes with a twist because it hinges on a player whose own future is still unsettled in Dallas. George Pickens recently got the franchise tag, but that has not stopped people from wondering whether the Cowboys could use him as part of a bigger swing for Crosby, which is exactly the sort of speculation that tends to linger when a star pass rusher is involved and no deal is actually on the table. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Are Waiting To See If Jermod McCoy Changes Everything
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McCoys athleticism is not in question, and the coaching staff has made clear there is real optimism about what he could add if he stays on the field. What makes this one worth watching for the Raiders is the possibility that a patient approach now could pay off in a major way later, especially if his summer progress keeps matching the upside that drew the team to him in the first place. [Read more 🡒]