The Fanatics Flag Football Classic isn't the ideal spot for NFL fans to gain meaningful information from the media, but Tom Brady had an opportunity to clue the public in about what the Raiders planned on doing with Maxx Crosby. Instead of shining light on the subject, Brady completely ignored the question. The Hall of Fame quarterback's silence speaks volumes about where the team stands with their veteran edge rusher.
Brady was not shy about his enthusiam regarding his role with the Raiders, but he did the reporter a disservice by completely ignoring the question dealing with Crosby's status with the team. It's fair for Raiders fans to wonder what Brady's lack of commentary on the subject might mean for the future of their favorite team.
Tom Brady knows the Raiders are still in a tough spot with Maxx Crosby
It's very likely Brady elected to stay quiet on the Crosby front because he understand the team is in an extremely tough position. Las Vegas will struggle to get anything close to the value they were scheduled to receive in the Ravens trade after questions surfaced about Crosby's health. Even if those questions came from a disingenous Baltimore front office it's safe to assume the rest of the league will use them against the Raiders in future trade discussions.
Las Vegas is doing the right thing by telling anyone who will listen that they're prepared to play with Crosby in 2026. They should continue to leverage that party line right up until the moment another team makes a trade offer they like. There's no upside for the Raiders in admitting they still want to offload Crosby. That would only crater a player whose trade value has already been artificially lowered by the Ravens.
When can the Raiders trade Maxx Crosby?
While the Raiders are technically free to trade Crosby at any time, the most likely path forward would be to wait until training camps begin around the NFL. It's easy to envision a scenario where a coaching staff sees their edge rushing options up front and decides a player like Crosby might push them over the top.
It's also possible an injury to a key pass rusher might push a potential Super Bowl contender back into the trade market. It's impossible to forecast what team might be impacted by an unfortunate injury but it's an eventuality the Raiders might be willing to bet on.
What can the Raiders get for Maxx Crosby in a trade?
The dream of getting multiple first-round picks for Crosby is over for Las Vegas. Their new concern should be making sure they get something more than a single Round 1 selection in exchange for their sack artist.
The Raiders should jump on any offer that gives them a single first round pick and another selection (or player) of reasonable value. Some fans might see that kind of return as a disappointment over what Baltimore was originally willing to offer but that offer is not going to come around again after all that's transpired.
In the end, Brady probably made the right decision by opting against speaking about Crosby. The Raiders know they're in a bad situation and nothing but time and a little good luck will help them get out of this mess.