Why the Maxx Crosby trade is negative for the Ravens and Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders will be without superstar EDGE rusher Maxx Crosby after all. The Baltimore Ravens backed out of Crosby’s trade three days after it was announced. The original deal would have sent two first-round picks to the Raiders, including the 14th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Crosby failed a physical with the Ravens and withdrew from the deal before the start of the new league year. He could still be dealing with the effects of a meniscus injury he suffered late in the 2025 season.

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Still, it’s a tough pill to swallow for both teams. The Ravens lost a slew of free agents without yet signing any major contracts other than Crosby, and the Raiders paid more than $240 million to free agents to level up their team. This ordeal could be a lose-lose situation for both teams.

Raider loses premium package.

The Ravens’ trade offer for the No. 14 pick and a 2027 first-round pick was unexpected because of how big the money was. Very few players salvage a top-15 pickback for a trade, let alone two first-round picks.

It’s easy to assume the Ravens acted out of some degree of desperation. The Ravens ranked 29th.^Day Sacks (30) and 28^Day Pass rush win rate (30%). The best pass rusher was Travis Jones with five sacks. To be safe, they were desperately looking for a pass rusher like Maxx Crosby, which is why people forgave the big return.

It’s highly unlikely that the Raiders would receive such a high offer from another team. The Bears have been linked to Crosby, but have the No. 25 pick in the upcoming draft. The Cowboys and Bengals could be interesting trade partners, but would either one trade a top-15 pick and another? Maybe that’s because the Cowboys have two first-round picks, but I doubt that’s the case.

Crosby’s failed physical could hurt his trade value

The added wrinkle of this botched deal really bothers the Raiders. Crosby failed a physical and is believed to still be suffering from the injury.

In the 2025 season, Crosby was sidelined after 15 games with a meniscus issue, with some reports suggesting he would undergo meniscus surgery. In 2024, Crosby suffered an ankle injury and had to undergo surgery on December 14th.^Day.

To be safe, Crosby’s injury issues over the last few seasons could be a red flag for any team looking to bring him in. Injury issues have kept talented players from entering the NFL draft, and the same logic can be applied to the Raiders.

The Ravens haven’t been aggressive enough in free agency.

The Ravens could be in even worse shape with the loss of Crosby. They desperately needed a pass rusher but didn’t make any major moves in the first two days of free agency, assuming they got Crosby.

Bringing back offensive lineman John Simpson from the New York Jets was a smart move, and at three years and $30 million, it’s not a bad deal. But the Ravens had to do more considering the amount of money they lost. All-Pro center Tyler Linderbaum, tight ends Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar, EDGE Dre’Mont Jones and safety Alohi Gilman are among the players missing from last season’s team.

Baltimore has lost credibility with the rest of the league

The huge hole at edge rusher might not be the only consequence the Ravens suffer. According to Tom Pelissero, many believe the Ravens may have backed out for reasons other than physical failure.