The Las Vegas Raiders attempted to deal their two-time All-Pro pass rusher Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens last week, but in a shocking turn of events, the Ravens backed out of the deal on Tuesday night before the trade was finalized on Wednesday. The Ravens claimed they backed out due to concerns over his knee, but I don’t think anyone buys that story. His knee may have played a small role in the decision, but it’s clear what actually happened.

After sending two first-round picks for Crosby, the Ravens had buyers remorse once they saw Trey Hendrickson still available after two days of free agency, knowing that nobody was going to meet his demands. So, once they realized they could land a pass rusher that’s right up there with Crosby in terms of talent for pretty much the same price without having to lose two first-round picks, they backed out and signed Hendrickson to a four-year deal.

Will this move have an repercussions? Probably not. I doubt the NFL will be able to do anything about it, given he actually does have some concerns over his knee. But the NFL isn’t the only one that can punish the Ravens for their slimy move.

How Will This Move Affect Baltimore?

This is not a good look for the Ravens in their first offseason under Jesse Minter. Like I said, I don’t think the NFL will be able to do anything about it, since there actually is something wrong with his knee, but there will be repercussions to their actions, especially because they signed Trey Hendrickson hours later.

I can guarantee you that the 31 others teams took notice of what the Ravens did. Do you think anyone is going to want to make a deal with Baltimore after this? I don’t. And there are already reports coming out that other general managers are none too pleased with what the stunt the Ravens pulled.

But general managers aren’t the only ones who are pissed off. What about the agents? Maxx Crosby’s agent came out with a statement basically denouncing the Ravens’ move and saying Crosby is ahead of schedule and expected to make a complete recovery. Durability has not been an issue for Crosby – he’s missed just seven games in his career – so Baltimore’s reasoning makes little sense.

Top Stories

Raiders Take Unexpected $30 Million Hit as Ravens Give Up on Maxx Crosby Trade

Dak Prescott Accused of Cheating on Fiancée Sarah Jane Ramos as Cowboys QB’s Wedding Canceled – Report

Jordan Addison Takes a Dig at Patriots With 2-Word Message Amid Free Agency Rumors

George Kittle, Falcons & More Send Congratulations as Former First-Round Pick Announces Retirement at 32

Patrick Mahomes’ Wife Brittany Bids Emotional Farewell as Former Chiefs Star’s Family Moves Away From Kansas City

I’m not saying nobody will ever trade with the Ravens again, but they will be very hesitant to, and if another team comes in with a similar offer, I wouldn’t be surprised if this situation gets brought up when they’re deciding who to go with. Eric DeCosta already isn’t the most loved general manager, especially because he’s failed to give his MVP quarterback some weapons offensively, but this is just another stain on his legacy.

Alright, we’ve talked about what this could mean for Baltimore, so now it’s time to talk about why the Raiders should consider keeping Crosby around after this failed trade.

Las Vegas Would Get Pennies on the Dollar

The Raiders were never going to move Maxx Crosby unless they received a haul for him. They held off for a long time, but once the Ravens offered two first-round picks, the Raiders made the move.

If the Raiders were to trade Crosby again, I highly doubt they’d receive the same offer. In fact, I doubt they could even get a first and a second for him. It would be like trying to buy a house for $400,000, but someone bids $420,000 and wins. Then, after an inspection, they back out of the deal. Even if you know the inspection wasn’t the sole reason for backing out, you’re not going to go back in at $400,000. You’re going to lowball and hope the sellers are desperate.

The Raiders weren’t willing to move Crosby unless they got two first-round picks before, and just because the Ravens backed out doesn’t mean their philosophy should change.

The Raiders Can Afford to Keep Him

The Raiders came into the offseason with the most cap space of any team in the NFL. Yes, they did spend a boatload of it during the NFL’s legal tampering period, but they can still afford to keep Crosby around.

With Crosby’s contract back on their books, the Raiders still have $38 million in cap space, according to Over the Cap. That’s also accounting for all the contracts they’ve agreed to in free agency thus far. Only seven teams still have more cap space than the Raiders at this point.

This is not an issue of whether or not the Raiders can afford Crosby, because they very easily can. It’s more of a matter of, is the relationship beyond repair? Because if it’s not, this defense could certainly use an All-Pro pass rusher for around $30 million per season.

The Raiders’ Defense Actually Looks Good on Paper

The Raiders were the worst team in football last season, and a large reason why was because of their defense. But the 2025 Raiders are going to look nothing like the 2026 Raiders.

Vegas has gone out and spent big, primarily on the defensive side of the ball. They’ve added CB Taron Johnson, LB Quay Walker, LB Nakobe Dean, DE Kwity Paye and re-signed breakout CB Eric Stokes. You know what they’re missing? A stud defensive end that can give you 15+ sacks. When you look at what their starting lineup could look like with Crosby in the mix, this unit could actually be really good.

Raiders’ Potential Starting Defense

DE: Maxx Crosby, Kwity Paye

DT: Adam Butler, Jonah Laulu

LB: Quay Walker, Nakobe Dean, Malcolm Koonce

CB: Eric Stokes, Taron Johnson, Darian Porter

S: Jeremy Chinn, Isaiah Pola-Mao

Obviously, there are still some upgrades to be made. They would need to add a defensive tackle or two, a safety and probably another corner, but that’s what the draft and the rest of free agency is for. This was never going to be a one year rebuild, but if they rolled out that defense in 2026, I think they’d feel really good about what they’re building.

Their Super Bowl Window Won’t Be Open Long

The Raiders are not a year or two away from winning the Super Bowl, but when you have the first overall pick and draft a rookie that could potentially change the future of your franchise (i.e. the Patriots, Broncos and Bears), you have to be ready to go all in if they prove to be as good as you hoped they would be.

Having a quarterback on a rookie contract is a cheat code, because it allows you to pay other players big money while paying the position which is starting to cost over $50 million per year something around $10 million per year. So, if Fernando Mendoza turns out to be on the same level as a Drake Maye, Bo Nix or Caleb Williams, the Raiders realistically have five years to win the Super Bowl. They’re never going to have this amount of cap space again, but if they can hit on free agents and draft relatively well over the next two years, who’s to say they can’t win it all by 2028 or 2029?

You know what almost every Super Bowl team is desperate for? An elite pass rusher like Maxx Crosby. That’s why the Ravens traded for him in the first place. That’s why teams like the Colts, Bills and Eagles were trying to sign Trey Hendrickson. Elite pass rushers don’t grow on trees, and if you don’t have a top draft pick, it’s extremely hard to find one.

The Raiders have one of the biggest pieces to the Super Bowl puzzle on their roster right now, and if Mendoza is great, that’s two REALLY big pieces. I know it’s a bit ambitious to say the Raiders could be Super Bowl contenders in three years, but you could’ve said the same about New England, Denver and Chicago a couple years ago.

If the Raiders can fetch two first-round picks for him, sure, go ahead. But I don’t think they will be able to now, so if the can mend this relationship, they should Crosby him on their roster.