The Las Vegas Raiders are staring at a decision that could shape their next chapter long before the 2026 NFL trade deadline arrives, and it centers on the player who defines the franchise: Maxx Crosby.
Crosby is still one of the best defensive players in football, but the larger question is whether it makes sense for the Raiders to keep a 29-year-old star through another season that might end without real contention. Las Vegas has taken some steps forward, yet the gap to the NFL’s elite remains obvious. That was on display again in Week 5, when the Raiders were blown out by the New England Patriots, a result that underscored how much work is still needed, especially on offense.
That’s what makes Crosby such a tough call. He plays with the kind of edge and intensity Raiders fans love, and he has grown into one of the most recognizable names in team history.
Dealing him would be a brutal move emotionally, especially for a fan base that already knows what it means to lose a player of his caliber. But the front office has to weigh sentiment against the bigger picture.
The logic for a trade is simple: Crosby is still young enough to command major value, and contenders would line up for a defender who can tilt a game. If he’s healthy and clears a physical, the Raiders could ask for a huge package in return, potentially multiple high draft picks and other assets that could speed up a rebuild.
That kind of return could matter more than one more year of holding onto a star while the roster still lacks the depth to threaten the AFC’s best teams. Las Vegas needs more young, controllable talent, and a deal like that would give the franchise more flexibility to address several holes instead of leaning so heavily on a few standouts.
The complication, of course, is Crosby himself. He has made it clear how much he wants to stay with the Raiders, and he has become so tied to the franchise that moving him would be a massive organizational decision. Still, wanting to be in Las Vegas and wanting to win are not the same thing, and Crosby can root for the Raiders while also wanting to spend his prime chasing championships.
There are pieces here to work with. Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty give the team building blocks, but the offense still lacks dependable production at wide receiver, which makes it hard to imagine this group consistently matching up with the league’s top teams. A playoff push is possible, but that alone should not shut the door on exploring what Crosby might bring back in a trade.
The Raiders also have to be honest about their timeline. Building a true contender around younger talent takes time, and Crosby may not want to wait for that process to play out. If another team is willing to pay a premium, Las Vegas should be ready to listen.
Trading Crosby would sting. There’s no way around that.
But it could also be the move that gives the Raiders a clearer path forward, with the kind of assets needed to build a roster that can compete for years instead of just survive another season. Crosby has given Las Vegas everything he has.
If the Raiders can’t give him a legitimate chance to win, they should think seriously about sending him somewhere that can - and using the return to shape their future.
In Other News...
Raiders Need Their Young DBs Ready For A Brutal Bills Test
The Raiders came out of the New England game with plenty to sort through on defense, and the spotlight naturally landed on the young secondary. Defensive coordinator Rob Leonard and head coach Klint Kubiak both acknowledged the need for improvement after a rough outing, while rookie defensive backs Treydan Stukes and Hezekiah Masses were among the players highlighted as encouraging pieces who also took some lumps along the way.
Both young DBs have already shown they can make plays, with interceptions on their season resumes, but the next test comes quickly against Buffalo. With the Bills looming, Las Vegas is looking for Stukes and Masses to steady themselves, rebuild confidence and show that the lessons from New England can translate into cleaner coverage when the competition ramps up again. [Read more 🡒]
Ashton Jeantys Biggest Raiders Problem Is Getting Harder To Ignore
Ashton Jeantys early-season workload has already become a focal point for the Raiders, and not in the way anyone imagined when the offense started leaning on him so heavily. He has carried the ball 88 times without a rushing touchdown, and the frustration is especially visible near the goal line, where the Raiders have repeatedly asked him to finish drives behind an offensive line that has too often let runs get stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage.
The biggest complication is that Jeanty has been doing it while managing an ankle injury, which has made the evaluation even murkier for Las Vegas. The Raiders have not had much room for error in short-yardage situations, and this weeks matchup only adds to the urgency, since both teams have been vulnerable to touchdowns allowed from inside their own 5-yard lines. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Cornerback Battle Suddenly Puts An Offseason Starter On Notice
The Raiders cornerback picture is shifting quickly, and Eric Stokes is suddenly at the center of it. Signed to a three-year contract as an offseason addition, the veteran has not settled into the role the team envisioned, and through five games he has struggled enough in coverage that the Raiders are clearly taking a harder look at what comes next on the back end.
Darien Porter has been one of the brighter developments in that evaluation. The second-year corner has played well enough recently to draw praise from head coach Klint Kubiak, and his rise has also caught the attention of media analyst Ted Nguyen, who suggested his snap count could keep climbing as the Raiders sort out the depth chart. For a defense still trying to find the right mix at corner, the competition is very much alive. [Read more 🡒]