With the start of the free agency period looming, teams are shedding excess weight in anticipation of new signings. Some players are being rewarded with new deals to create cap flexibility, while others — particularly aging veterans or talented players on expiring deals — have found themselves on the chopping block.
The offseason has already brought considerable turnover for the Seattle Seahawks, who are redefining their offensive identity under second-year head coach Mike Macdonald. Seattle released wide receiver Tyler Lockett, who served as a pillar of the team for the past decade, due to his high cap hit. Then, Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf demanded a trade.
The purge continued on Friday with a bit of a shocker: The Seahawks traded quarterback Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a third-round pick. The deal reunited Smith with Raiders head coach Pete Carroll, who helped resurrect the veteran quarterback’s career during their time together in Seattle.
Seahawks tried to pull off a blockbuster trade for Maxx Crosby
Although Smith’s trade ultimately only resulted in one mid-round draft pick, the Seahawks initially tried to swing for the fences. Seattle opened the trade discussions by proposing a trade that would have sent Smith and Metcalf to Las Vegas in exchange for Raiders defensive end Max Crosby, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported on Friday.
The Raiders quickly shut down the deal and told the Seahawks that Crosby was not available, Breer reported.
Nearly every team in need of a pass rusher has inquired about Crosby at some point. In many ways, he has been the prototypical cornerstone to build a defense around. The 27-year-old has become the face of the franchise, often shining as a lone bright spot through lean years. Regardless of the situation or state of the team, he’s displayed relentless effort and commitment. When active, Crosby has played at least 95 percent of the team’s defensive snaps in each of the past three seasons, often battling through injuries to remain on the field.
Despite recent trade rumors, the new Raiders regime rewarded his effort with a commitment of their own last Wednesday. The Raiders signed Crosby to a three-year, $106.5 million contract extension with $91.5 million guaranteed at signing, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league.
Crosby’s deal is front-loaded, carrying a $32.5 million cap hit in 2025 before incrementally decreasing each season. Las Vegas has a potential escape hatch after the 2027 season, when they’d be able to release him without any dead cap charge, via Spotrac. However, his cap hit will be down to just $27.2 million by then.