Maxx Crosby Trade Rumors on Raiders Giving ‘Mixed Signals’ in Talks Ahead of NFL Free Agency
Whether the Las Vegas Raiders will trade pass-rusher Maxx Crosby is one of the biggest stories of the NFL offseason, and there is reportedly plenty of uncertainty surrounding the situation.
Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported Wednesday “the Raiders have not moved off from their asking price of two first-round picks and a player. Several teams are interested, but decision makers are getting mixed signals from the Raiders in regards to their genuine interest in dealing their star.”
According to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, “Multiple sources indicate the Chicago Bears are a team to watch in potentially dealing for Crosby. The Bears aren’t the only team with interest in Crosby — the Dallas Cowboys are lurking, according to sources — but they could be best positioned to do a deal if one can be done. The new league year begins March 11.”
That is a similar asking price to what the Dallas Cowboys received for Micah Parsons last offseason when the Green Bay Packers sent them two first-round picks and three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
However, Parsons was 26 years old heading into the 2025 campaign with four straight seasons of 12 or more sacks to start his career. By comparison, Crosby will be 29 years old next season and recently underwent surgery on his meniscus.
Crosby also has just one season in his career with more than 12.5 sacks.
While he is an excellent player, Las Vegas might not get the same type of return package as Dallas did for a younger and more productive Parsons even if there are “several teams” potentially interested in trading for him this offseason.
A trade would make some sense, as the Raiders are in the early stages of a rebuild that will likely revolve around Fernando Mendoza, who is the presumed No. 1 pick of the 2026 NFL draft. Getting draft assets in return for the veteran defensive end could help the AFC West team surround Mendoza with young and talented players on the same timeline.
Things also haven’t worked out as hoped for Crosby in Las Vegas.
“Crosby hasn’t made a stink publicly, partly because of his deep affection for the Raiders’ fan base, but it’s clear that he has exhausted all efforts in Vegas,” Michael Silver of The Athletic wrote. “He’s had a new boss every 12 seconds, with one winning season out of seven to show for it. Including Rich Bisaccia, who took over for [Jon] Gruden on an interim basis for the final three months of the 2021 season, Crosby has played for five head coaches; [Klint] Kubiak would be his sixth.”
A team that is in more of a win-now position than the Raiders would be the logical landing spot for Crosby, which made it all the more notable Tuesday when DraftKings Sportsbook revealed the Chicago Bears were favored to trade for him.
Chicago reached the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs last season and has a glaring need along the defensive line. Crosby is the type of player who could drastically elevate the team’s ceiling in 2026 and beyond.
He would elevate whichever team’s ceiling ended up with him, but the Raiders first have to fully decide whether they are trading him at all.
