The 49ers may not be in the Maxx Crosby business anymore, but they still have a reason to watch the Raiders’ edge rusher situation closely - and it’s not a comforting one.
San Francisco came up short in the Crosby sweepstakes this offseason, and the sense around the team is that the front office is probably finished chasing blockbuster additions after trading for defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. That doesn’t mean the Niners can ignore what happens next. If Crosby becomes available, the most dangerous outcome for San Francisco might be that another contender gets him.
Tom Pelissero pointed to the volume of interest around Raiders general manager John Spytek, saying, " [The GM] is sure to get calls over the next 10 days, leaving open the possibility of another blockbuster," the insider said.
That kind of move would almost certainly send Crosby to a rival, likely in the NFC. The Seahawks, Bears, and Vikings are among the teams that would jump at the chance to land him, and the Rams, Lions, and Packers are also on the list of possible opponents the 49ers could run into on a Super Bowl path. A player like Crosby doesn’t just strengthen a defense; he can change the look of an entire matchup.
For San Francisco, though, the math is different. The 49ers are older than a lot of the other teams chasing a championship, and they can’t really afford to spend more draft capital on a player of Crosby’s caliber. So while other contenders may be lining up to make a run, the Niners are stuck watching from a distance.
There’s also the small matter of Week 9, when San Francisco faces Crosby and the Raiders. That game brings its own headache.
Las Vegas has climbed out of the AFC basement, but it still doesn’t look like a true playoff team. After opening 3-0, coach Klint Kubiak’s squad has dropped four straight and is teetering on the edge of losing its postseason shot.
That leaves the 49ers in a no-win spot. A loss would obviously hurt their own push in the NFC, where they’re chasing the No. 1 seed and can’t afford to give away any ground. A win, on the other hand, could help push the Raiders closer to selling ahead of the trade deadline.
And Las Vegas already looks like a team weighing its future. The Raiders drafted their quarterback of the future, Fernando Mendoza, this offseason, and they appear set on building around him. Crosby is still only 29, but he would bring back a major haul, and if the front office is already taking calls, a loss to San Francisco could be the kind of nudge that sends them toward a 2026 reset.
So while Crosby’s future is still up in the air, one thing is clear for 49ers fans: the best outcome might be the simplest one. Keep him in Las Vegas.
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