NFL Analysis
1/8/25
6 min read
3 Trade Destinations for Las Vegas Raiders Edge Rusher Maxx Crosby
The Las Vegas Raiders are ushering in a new era after parting ways with head coach Antonio Pierce, and that could mean finding a way forward without their franchise player, Maxx Crosby.
During the Raiders coaching search last offseason, Crosby was adamant about the team retaining Pierce, who had been the interim head coach after Josh McDaniels' firing. He was so supportive that he suggested he would request a trade if the organization went in a different direction.
A lot has changed since then, but now that Pierce is gone, there will be speculation about Crosby's future in Las Vegas. He's a tremendously valuable pass rusher still in the prime of his career, and multiple teams will likely call Raiders general manager Tom Telesco to see what it would take to trade for him.
Let's take a look at Crosby's trade value, along with a handful of landing spots that would make sense for the 27-year-old star.
Maxx Crosby Trade Value
Crosby may have had a down year, but that doesn't mean he's not still an extremely valuable pass rusher.
Crosby still finished the 2024 season with 17 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks but finished with just 54 pressures on the year, the fewest he's had in a season since 2020. A lack of talent around him is likely a big reason for Crosby's drop-off in production, but it's not like those are bad numbers by any means. Crosby also missed time with an ankle injury this season.
On top of the pass-rushing production, Crosby is an explosive and instinctive player against the run and quick-passing game. This is what he did against the Denver Broncos earlier this year on back-to-back plays.
Maxx Crosby chasing down a run from the backside and a WR screen on back-to-back plays pic.twitter.com/2LeUtUMK4N
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) November 25, 2024
On top of being an every-down player when healthy, Crosby is also just 27 years old and on a fairly reasonable contract, given his elite level of play. According to Over The Cap, Crosby is the ninth-highest-paid EDGE in the league by average annual salary, behind players like Rashan Gary and Montez Sweat.
Crosby has two more years on his deal, with cap hits of $28.2 million in 2025 and $24.8 million in 2026. A pre-June 1 trade would involve $10.2 million in dead cap this offseason but would give the Raiders $18 million in net cap savings and remove Crosby's contract from their books in 2026.
That being said, it's not like the Raiders are a cap-strapped team. In fact, the Raiders have the second-most cap space in the league, with more than $107 million in cap space for this offseason.
The Raiders don't have a pressing need to move on from Crosby, even if he did want out of Las Vegas. All of these factors mean that a potential suitor would need to be willing to give up some premium draft picks while having the cap space to take on Crosby's contract for the next couple of seasons.
That won't stop a few teams from calling.
Maxx Crosby Landing Spots
Green Bay Packers 
In 1993, the Green Bay Packers made a splash free agent signing by taking a swing on future Hall of Fame pass rusher Reggie White. That move helped the Packers get over the hump just a few seasons later, winning Super Bowl XXXI against the New England Patriots.
A trade for an elite player like Crosby could have a similar impact.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has turned things around for Green Bay's defense after years of struggling under Joe Barry. The Packers finished seventh in defensive DVOA this year and fourth in the league with 31 takeaways.
However, the pass rush was a major issue for most of this season. The Packers were 26th in pass rush win rate, with the team's EDGEs struggling with the transition to a 4-3 base scheme. No player on the Packers' defense had 50 or more pressures, with Rashan Gary leading the way with 47.
Crosby would be an ideal fit in Hafley's scheme. In addition to being a legitimate pass rusher, Crosby has the size, length, and play strength to handle the point of attack in the run game as a 4-3 defensive end. It's an ideal fit for both parties, provided that Brian Gutekunst is willing to take on the rest of Crosby's contract while giving up some significant draft capital for a "win now" move.
New England Patriots
There are few teams with the resources to take a swing on a trade for Crosby.
On top of having nine picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots also have the most cap space in the league this offseason, nearly $124 million. Plus, they have a massive need for a top-tier pass rusher.
The Patriots ranked 23rd in pass rush win rate this year, with just two players having more than 20 pressures on the year. Keion White looks like he could be a serviceable long-term EDGE, but could be better utilized by being paired with a star playing opposite of him.
Christian Gonzalez is the only real star on New England's defense. A pass rusher like Crosby could make Gonzalez's job a whole lot easier and allow the Patriots to keep building out a defense alongside a competent offense for Drake Maye.
The Raiders may be a bit less eager to trade Crosby within the conference, but at least the New England Patriots are a ways away from hurting Las Vegas as both teams try to rebuild their franchises.
Washington Commanders
A young star on a rookie deal at the quarterback position can unlock a lot for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. The last six Super Bowls featured a quarterback on a rookie deal, showing the flexibility it affords a franchise to go out and make win-now moves.
Jayden Daniels has quickly proven that he's a quarterback worth building around for the Washington Commanders. He's the likely frontrunner for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award and already has the Commanders in the playoffs in his first NFL season.
The offense could still use a couple more pieces, but the Commanders' defense is where they could take a big step forward in 2025. It ranked just 23rd in defensive DVOA this season, but it already made a strong start in building out that side of the ball by acquiring CB Marshon Lattimore at the trade deadline.
The Commanders still have $99 million in cap space this offseason and have enough draft capital (particularly in 2026) to take a big swing on a player like Crosby.
A great quarterback on a rookie deal should have the Commanders feeling like their Super Bowl window is already open. A move for Crosby could make them one of the most exciting teams in the NFC.
