NFL Rumors: Which Team Lands Maxx Crosby This Summer?

April 09, 2026 , , , , ,
Las Vegas Raiders pass-rusher Maxx Crosby reacts during 2025 game.

The Baltimore Ravens agreed to a trade for two first-round picks, then backed out after Maxx Crosby's physical raised concerns about a degenerative issue in his surgically repaired left knee. 

Crosby returned to Las Vegas, said publicly that he wants to be a Raider, and the Raiders have issued statements suggesting they're done shopping him. Mark Davis said he "never wanted Maxx to leave." None of that means this is over. 

Teams were calling before the Ravens deal was done, the Dallas Cowboys made three separate offers and came close, the New England Patriots have been circling, the Philadelphia Eagles have been floated in at least one detailed trade proposal, and the Buffalo Bills were pitched as the team most in need of landing him. 

The Raiders were ready to move on once already. Whether they move on again depends on whether someone shows up with an offer that clears the bar.

What the Failed Ravens Deal Actually Changed

Baltimore's primary concern wasn't about Crosby's availability for 2026, but more about the long-term durability of his knee, specifically a worry about degeneration over time. 

He's owed $30 million this season and his 2027 base of $29 million has already vested, so whoever acquires him is committing serious money on top of whatever draft capital they give up. 

The Raiders wanted two first-rounders before the physical failed; that number is coming down, but teams are now going to be much more aggressive about their own medical evaluations before agreeing to anything. 

Kirk Cousins, for what it's worth, gave the most honest endorsement of Crosby's value that anyone has offered in weeks, describing him as one of maybe six players in the league that opposing offensive coordinators spend a full week game-planning around.

The Teams Most Likely to Land Him Before the Season

New England is the name that keeps surfacing. The Patriots managed 35 sacks last season and came away from free agency without addressing the edge at all after losing K'Lavon Chaisson to Washington. 

Josh McDaniels was Crosby's head coach in Las Vegas and knows exactly what he brings. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe confirmed New England is open to notable trades deep into the offseason, and Crosby specifically was mentioned as a target. 

The Cowboys made three offers before the Ravens stepped in, including a package built around the 20th overall pick and future capital, and while Dallas has since acquired Rashan Gary, the fact that their team doctor was actually invited to participate in Crosby's medical examination during the Ravens deal suggests they've done the homework. 

ESPN's Bill Barnwell proposed an Eagles trade that would send Nolan Smith Jr., the 23rd pick in this draft, and a 2027 third-round pick back to Las Vegas, which Barnwell argued represents reasonable value given the reduced asking price. 

Philadelphia's pass rush already has real pieces, and adding Crosby on top of Jalyx Hunt and Jalen Carter would make that front difficult to deal with. 

The Bills were pitched as the most desperate need, and Buffalo is a team that could go all-in when the window feels open. 

The draft on April 23 is the next major moment on this calendar. If nothing happens by then, the August roster-setting period and the November deadline are the two dates to watch.

Photo Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

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