The Las Vegas Raiders were thrown for a loop when the Baltimore Ravens voided their trade for Maxx Crosby. Baltimore agreed to send its next two first-round picks to Las Vegas, taking Crosby's money off the books, only to cite long-term medical concerns and back out. That was after Las Vegas committed significant resources to several high-profile free agents.
Crosby has taken it all in stride. He committed to running it back in Sin City on social media, and the Raiders are reportedly telling teams Crosby will stick around. That said, the phone calls won't stop, and several teams ought to pounce at the opportunity to potentially acquire Crosby at a (slight) discount. One obvious landing spot: the Philadelphia Eagles.
Potential Eagles-Raiders Maxx Crosby trade details
Philadelphia's first-round picks are slightly less appealing than Baltimore's at this point, but it's still two first-round picks, which is not an insane price point for an edge rusher with Crosby's résumé. He's among the best run-stoppers in the NFL and an elite pass pressure guy, too. The Eagles are always star-hunting. Howie Roseman swooping in from the shadows when an opportunity like this surfaces almost makes too much sense. It's what he has always done.
Why the Raiders accept this trade
The Raiders are probably happy to keep Crosby, who has been the face of their franchise for years and a tone-setter for their defense. Las Vegas promoted Rob Leonard, formerly their run game coordinator and defensive line coach, to the role of defensive coordinator. He has a strong relationship with Crosby. That felt intentional at the time, and it could prove immensely beneficial in smoothing this whole fiasco over. It doesn't hurt that Las Vegas has enough cap space to absorb the financial fallout of this trade without scrapping their other free agency plans.
With all that said, the Raiders clearly felt it was time to move on. Crosby's relationship with the organization appeared to fracture down the stretch of last season. The injury stuff, clearly, is a concern. Las Vegas does not agree to trade Crosby if he's totally happy and the organization believes wholeheartedly in his future.
This move could save face for Tom Brady and the new Raiders regime. Las Vegas is rebuilding around Fernando Mendoza, with Klint Kubiak brought over to coach after a Super Bowl-winning run in Seattle. It really feels like the Raiders want to turn the page on a tumultuous chapter in their organizational history. Crosby is not remotely the reason for Las Vegas' past struggles, but sometimes a relationship reaches its logical conclusion. That's how it felt when the Ravens trade initially crossed the finish line. A sudden reversal does not necessarily change said feeling.
Two first-round picks are two first-round picks, even if the Eagles (especially with Crosby) probably don't land very high on the board next summer. The Raiders would have four first-round picks in a two-year span, which can be used to beef up the young core — or to engineer a major trade down the road. Drafting receivers and offensive linemen to cushion Mendoza feels like a no-brainer. Trading for a more established WR1 would also be a good use of resources.
Why the Eagles make this trade
The Eagles are on the hunt for an edge-setter. Philadelphia made a stealth push for Micah Parsons last offseason, but the Cowboys understandably sent him to a less hated rival. That's proof enough that Howie Roseman is willing to offload significant assets for the right player. Jaelan Phillips left as a free agent. The Eagles tried to sign Trey Hendrickson, but he chose Baltimore. If Philadelphia wants to win the offseason and improve the vibes after a dour 2025 campaign, trading for Crosby does the trick.
Vic Fangio's defense still ranked near the top of the NFL last season. Crosby would presumably join Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter on the D-line, forming one of the most fearsome pass-rushing trios in the NFL. Better yet, Crosby — 10.0 sacks and 20 QB hits in 15 games last season — does more than pressure the quarterback. He's elite against the run, able to line up all over the formation and hit gaps with the force of a Mack truck.
Philadelphia is connected to other edge rushers, such as Minnesota's Jonathan Greenard, but Crosby is the best option (theoretically still) available. The Eagles would need to triple check the medicals and make sure Baltimore overreacted, but assuming Crosby still has a few elite years left in the tank at 28, this is the sort of trade that can put Philadelphia back in the Super Bowl conversation.
Last season was a disaster, but if the Eagles trade A.J. Brown, that could help to offset the resources lost in a Crosby trade. Just saying. New playcaller Sean Mannion should spice up the offensive playcalling and the talent level of this roster remains virtually unmatched across the NFL. With the right roll of the dice, Roseman should have this team right back in the Super Bowl mix.