The Seattle Seahawks wouldn’t be crazy to kick the tires on Maxx Crosby. John Schneider has never been the kind of general manager who sits on his hands, and if there’s a chance to upgrade the roster, he’s going to look at it. The real issue isn’t whether Crosby would help Seattle - he would - but whether the price tag makes sense.
And that price could be a lot lighter than it was earlier this year.
The Raiders and Ravens had already lined up a deal this offseason before Baltimore backed out at the last minute, saying it had concerns about Crosby’s recently surgically repaired knee. That may have done Las Vegas no favors around the league. Baltimore was reportedly ready to send two first-round picks, but that kind of package feels steep for Seattle.
A more realistic framework could be one first-round pick and safety Julian Love.
Love, 28, has played at a Pro Bowl level and has been a strong fit in Mike Macdonald’s defense. He missed time last season because of a hamstring injury, appearing in only eight games, though he returned late in the year and into the playoffs, including an interception against the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. For a Raiders team that needs help at safety, he would be an immediate upgrade.
Seattle also has some cover if it were to move on from Love. Macdonald has already shown he can get the most out of the secondary, and the Seahawks used a second-round pick on safety Bud Clark, whose ball skills could make him the long-term answer.
Giving up a first-rounder is never painless, but Seattle could be more comfortable if that 2027 pick ends up being late in the round. The Seahawks are also projected to have 12 picks next year because of comp picks from free agents lost, and the Minnesota Vikings hired Nolan Teasley from the Seahawks to be their new general manager.
There’s also the question of how much Seattle even needs another edge rusher. The group is still solid, even if it looks a little less versatile than it did a year ago.
Boye Mafe left in free agency for the Cincinnati Bengals, and he brought real value as both a run defender and a pressure player. The Seahawks replaced him with Dante Fowler Jr., who is more of a pure pass rusher than an all-around edge presence.
Even after that move, Schneider didn’t close the door on adding more help up front.
From the Raiders’ side, the logic is pretty simple. They were already prepared to move Crosby once, and they remain in rebuild mode. A first-round pick plus a quality safety in his prime would be the kind of return that makes sense for a team trying to reset.
And there’s one more wrinkle that could matter: the two franchises already have a strong connection. The Raiders have hired former Seahawks in each of the last two years, including former Seattle offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as their new head coach. That kind of familiarity could make a Crosby deal easier to navigate if the sides decide to keep talking.
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