For at least a little while, the Las Vegas Raiders were staring down the barrel of a full-scale rebuild.
After star receiver Davante Adams was traded to the New York Jets on Oct. 15, the rumors began to swirl surrounding edge rusher Maxx Crosby next. Many were linking Crosby to the Detroit Lions due to him being a Michigan native and coming out of Eastern Michigan, especially with the injury to star linebacker Aidan Hutchinson who has a broken left tibia and fibula. While Raiders owner Mark Davis emphatically squashed the rumors and Crosby remained a Raider after the trade deadline, there is no guarantee that the rumors will go away that easily.
With the Raiders on a five-game losing streak and Crosby expressing some frustration about his contract, this will be an issue that the team has to meaningfully address this off-season. They must weigh the outcomes carefully, deciding what path leads to the best potential rewards.
So what are the pros and cons of the Raiders moving on?
Pros
While neither the Raiders or Crosby have a desire to seek a trade just yet, the value such a decision would bring could be tremendous.
This would not be the first time the Raiders have looked into a deal for a disgruntled elite pass rusher, as they were at a similar crossroads with Khalil Mack in 2018. Eventually, the team accepted a deal with the Chicago Bears that saw Mack (as well as a 2020 second-round pick and conditional 2020 fifth-round pick that turned into a seventh) head to the Windy City in exchange for two first-round picks, a third-round pick in 2019, and a sixth-round pick in 2020. While the move did ultimately net the Raiders Josh Jacobs in 2019, the remaining prospects with those picks (Blessuan Austin, Damon Arnette, Bryan Edwards) ultimately, did not pan out. Adding to the pain was the Bears using the second-rounder on Cole Kmet, who still holds a key part in Chicago’s passing attack.
With new general manager Tom Telesco in charge, there is a good chance a similar package would net a far better outcome. He has done well in finding first-round picks that can benefit his teams. During his run with the Chargers, he brought along the likes of Derwin James, Justin Herbert, and Rashawn Slater into the organization. With that in mind, the Raiders can get a better long-term outlook on their roster and use the picks acquired in a potential Crosby trade to attack key positions of need. With as many holes as the Raiders have right now, having multiple options is not a bad idea.
Cons
While it is easy to assume teams will be rushing to acquire a pass rusher like Crosby, bringing a deal to fruition is not so easy.
The sticking point in any trade will be financially. After signing a four-year extension in 2022, Crosby’s current contract is worth an average of $23.5 million per year and runs until the 2026 season. That is a decent chunk of change for a team to put on their books for an extended period of time.
Where that would affect the Raiders is that teams will force a choice for a trade to go through. The Raiders can either convert a portion of Crosby’s salary as a signing bonus so potential partners do not have to pay him the full amount of his deal, or they will accept Crosby’s full contract by giving the Raiders less compensation. They did not convert any of Adams’s salary in the deal with the Jets, and it is difficult to imagine a Crosby trade will force a different line of thinking. While the lack of an open trade request helps give the Raiders some form of leverage in potential dealings, plans could change if that becomes the case no longer.
Decision
What the Raiders ultimately decide to do with Crosby will be one of the major talking points of the offseason not just for the team, but the NFL as a whole.
Superstar edge rushers like Crosby do not just grow on trees; players of his caliber rarely reach the open market, especially at one of the most important positions on defense. If teams have a need at the position and the cap situation needed to bring a player like Crosby into the fold, they will call the Raiders and put together their best offer.
That being said, the Raiders currently hold the advantage in any deal. Neither side has expressed interest in parting from the other despite the rough season, and Crosby’s contract means the Raiders do not need to force the issue and accept a trade that they believe has lesser value.
Expect the Raiders to at least be somewhat receptive to a deal, but it is hard to envision Crosby not being in silver and black to start the 2025 season. Should the team be in similarly dire straits next year, the situation could become far more drastic.
