Maxx Crosby’s name has been hanging around the rumor mill for months, and the Los Angeles Rams are one of the teams that reportedly kept a close eye on the situation.
According to Tom Pelissero of The Sweep, Los Angeles had real interest in Crosby when the star pass rusher was in play earlier this year. Pelissero wrote, “They (Rams) also called and kept tabs on Maxx Crosby, who ended up back in Las Vegas after a blockbuster deal with the Ravens came apart in March over concerns about the knee Crosby had repaired in January,”
That failed Ravens deal only added another twist to Crosby’s offseason. He had already been tied to a spring trade to Baltimore before that move fell apart, and despite all the noise, he stayed with the Raiders.
In 2025, Crosby signed a $106.5 million extension in Las Vegas, and the 29-year-old ultimately made it clear he wasn’t eager to leave. The source notes that he took the failed trade as a sign he’ll remain with the Raiders.
Still, the Rams’ interest is part of a bigger league-wide picture. Crosby, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, is exactly the kind of player teams would chase if he ever became available again. The idea of him lining up next to Myles Garrett is the sort of scenario that would have every quarterback paying attention to the Rams’ defense.
And Los Angeles isn’t the only team watching the pass-rusher market. Before Week 1, the Dallas Cowboys created more room under the salary cap by restructuring the deals of Kenny Clark, DaRon Bland, and Jake Ferguson.
ESPN’s Todd Archer suggested that kind of maneuver could leave Dallas positioned for a major move before the deadline. Archer wrote, “If the Cowboys want to make a significant trade before the deadline later this season, theoretically, they would have the room to do so,”
So while Crosby remains in Las Vegas for now, the trail hasn’t gone cold. The Rams reportedly checked in, the Cowboys have the cap flexibility to make noise, and other teams are still lurking in the background.
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