The Maxx Crosby-Raiders saga that started before the 2025 season even ended has now come to a halt. The Baltimore Ravens, who previously agreed to acquire him in exchange for two first-round picks, stepped back within four days as the edge rusher failed their condition of a physical. The unsuccessful trade, believe it or not, actually helps Las Vegas in continuing its defensive form come September.

There remains a possibility for them to try another trick to trade Crosby away, however. He, meanwhile, is already putting other teams on notice about what may befall them once the season starts.

“By training camp I’ll be 200% ready and this world will get the best version of 98 they’ve ever seen,” reported Gerald McCoy, quoting Maxx Crosby’s words, via Good Morning Football on X. “Its go time.”

Of course, Crosby failing the Ravens’ physical doesn’t necessarily mean that he is not healthy to play. Let me explain it this way: there is no black and white formula to define the health of a player. Neither is there a central body that concludes such findings that the other teams need to blindly accept. What it is then and how it makes sense for Crosby being fit by mid-July, you ask?

See it this way, every team has a specified concept they follow to conclude whether a physical is passed or not. So, even if Crosby failed their physical test, he may pass, say, the Dallas Cowboys‘ test. Of course, the latter has long backed away from the thought of bringing Crosby to Dallas, indicating that Crosby may stay put in Vegas for now.

Similarly, it is very possible for Crosby to not just be one hundred percent when the training camps come around, but even two hundred percent as the thrilled Raiders loyalist promised. That would still not mean that the Raiders will not try to get him out.

The whole charade began back in December when the team’s wellness coordinator, Alex Guerrero, put Crosby on IR. The move, of course, served two purposes: first, Crosby gets to rest and nurse his knee injury instead of continuing to play with it.

Second, the team would sink further in their season if they lost more games, ensuring they get the first overall pick in Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. Both things went the Raiders’ way, except that Crosby is still there.

It is highly unlikely that Dallas will return to even discussing this trade at this point. While Ravens could, there might be a reason why they backed out in the first place. It is not to say that the Raiders will not get lucrative offers for Crosby anymore. However, it will possibly not be two first-round picks.

As such, it would be wise for the team to keep Crosby and continue their defensive dominance, along with a freshly-drafted quarterback running its offense instead of giving him away and starting everything from point A.

The Ravens had already placed a condition on the Crosby trade that it would happen only if the edge rusher passed the physical. Although they haven’t provided any explanation yet as to what they saw that convinced them not to go ahead with the deal, we have an idea of what all started Crosby’s frustrations with the team he is so loyally attached to.

In Week 7, against the Kansas City Chiefs, Crosby sustained a direct hit to an already injured knee. The action immediately caused him to leave the field in the second half. Although he was injured, he played through most of the season, except for the last two games when he was put on IR.

Following the season, he underwent meniscus surgery. Speculation about a potential trade kept looming over Las Vegas. When the Ravens came knocking, everyone thought that was it. Unfortunately, the injury blocked the blockbuster trade.

However, it is not just his return window that has been revealed.

Last season, he added 10 sacks, 28 tackles for loss, 73 tackles, and six pass deflections in 15 games. He accomplished all these while being injured. He expects these numbers to increase after making a full recovery. Crosby has already returned to Las Vegas and is focused on being his best version and forgetting the past. Many asked how his failed trade would affect the Raiders. Well, it looks like, besides the cap issue, everything is good.

Maxx Crosby’s return to the Las Vegas Raiders is a good thing

The Las Vegas Raiders are eyeing quarterback Fernando Mendoza with their first pick. Trading Geno Smith to the New York Jets opened up a spot in the quarterback room, highlighting that there’s more reality to Mendoza than speculation. Also, bringing in center Tyler Linderbaum strengthened the offensive line.

Linderbaum was given a three-year contract worth $81 million. It was expected that with Crosby leaving, it wouldn’t be a problem. But he didn’t leave. It significantly lowered their cap space, but the Raiders do not consider it bad.

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Since getting drafted in 2019, Crosby has 69.5 sacks, 439 tackles, 133 tackles for loss, and 29 pass deflections. It would have been difficult for the franchise to bring in someone with similar stats. To take some pressure off Crosby, general manager John Spytek added two linebackers, Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker. The duo was part of Georgia’s national championship-winning side. Together, they posted 695 tackles in the NFL.

Besides them, the Raiders have also signed defensive end Kwity Paye through free agency. He, too, has decent stats, with 30.5 sacks and 209 tackles in his NFL career.

The Raiders finished last in points per game (14.2) in 2025. So, with such talented additions to the defense and Maxx Crosby returning, the defense is believed to be a better version of itself in the upcoming season. The Raiders still have over $44 million open in cap space. They will further look to use it during the second wave of free agency. Overall, things are going well for the Raiders and newly appointed head coach Klint Kubiak.