The Raiders’ stance on Maxx Crosby keeps drifting back into the spotlight, and the latest buzz suggests Las Vegas may not be done entertaining the idea of a blockbuster move.
Last week, the California Post’s Vinny Bonsignore said the Raiders would absolutely revisit a Crosby trade if the right offer came along. That lines up with where the team reportedly stood four months ago, when the possibility was already on the table.
The timing is part of what makes this so interesting. A lot of people around the league believe the Raiders could get the best return for Crosby closer to the trade deadline, once he’s shown he’s healthy. But there’s also a case for moving him before the season starts, especially if the Raiders want to avoid the risk of another injury.
It’s rare for a team to consider moving on from a premier pass rusher who is 29 years old, but history does offer at least one reminder. Richard Seymour was the same age in 2009 when the Patriots traded him to Oakland for a first-round pick.
And with the Raiders still viewed as being at least a year or two away from Super Bowl contention, there’s a straightforward argument for dealing Crosby now and using the return to help shape the future.
That backdrop is what made Sports Illustrated’s Grant Cohn’s comments this week stand out. Cohn, a longtime Bay Area media personality with a reputation for making bold claims, said he believes the Raiders would still like to trade Crosby.
He pointed to a recent exchange Crosby had with a young fan, though that may have been reading a little too much into a short moment.
Vegas Sports Today on X posted the interaction, in which a young 49ers fan asked Crosby, “Will you please… join the 49ers?” Crosby answered, “I can’t.”
Cohn saw more in that response than most.
“Notice he wasn’t offended by the question,” Cohn said of the interaction.
“He didn’t say he’s a Raider for life. He said he can’t join the 49ers, which is true, because he’s under contract with the Raiders, and then he said you never know, which also is true, because the Raiders want to trade him,” Cohn continued.
Cohn then took the speculation a step further, saying, “I’m guessing the 49ers want to offer the Raiders a first-round pick, a second-round pick and Mykel Williams in exchange for Crosby, and I’m guessing the Raiders would like to see Williams return from his ACL injury before making such a trade. In addition, another team, such as the Eagles could outbid the 49ers for Crosby.”
That’s a lot to pack into one fan interaction, and it’s fair to say Crosby’s answer doesn’t exactly scream that he’s angling for San Francisco. Still, the larger question remains whether Tom Brady and GM John Spytek might be more open to moving Crosby than the public messaging suggests.
For now, it’s all speculation. But if Brady and Spytek are serious about a full rebuild, there’s no real reason to broadcast that plan. The Raiders reportedly didn’t want the league or fans to know Crosby was available in March, and if he’s back on the block now, there’s every reason to believe the people involved would keep playing it close to the vest.
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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 🡒]