The Las Vegas Raiders are in for an eventful offseason that will see the franchise bring in a new head coach and quarterback. Nailing those two decisions will set the organization on the right track. Whiffing on either could be detrimental.
Building out the rest of the roster will still be pivotal to how quickly the team can turn things around, however, as nearly every position room needs an upgrade. There will also be the lingering question about Maxx Crosby's future to address, as he has been in seemingly never-ending trade rumors.
While both the organization and the superstar pass rusher have previously shut down those rumors, many believe that there may be some legitimate friction in the relationship now. Raider Nation would not be happy if the latest prediction from a San Francisco 49ers reporter turned into reality.
Raiders fanshope this Maxx Crosby prediction does not come to fruition
Crosby has been the heart and soul of the Raiders' defense since the franchise selected him in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He has embodied what it means to wear the Silver and Black, both on and off the field, and is the rare player who is truly loved by the entire fanbase.
The San Francisco Standard's Tim Kawakami predicted, however, that the five-time Pro Bowler will be moved this offseason during a recent episode of his podcast, The TK Show: A Show about sports in the Bay Area.
"Maxx Crosby has got to be right in [the 49ers'] sights. I think he's gettable. I mean, I think they could get him," Kawakami said. "They've thought about him for a long time. They've admired him for a long time. He's the perfect bookend with Nick Bosa. I think the Raiders are going to trade him based on everything that happened at the end of the year."
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Raiders fans, by and large, are hopeful that Crosby will spend the rest of his career in Las Vegas. However, some believe that the bridge between the player and organization may be burned. Fans may have to prepare for that reality going into a pivotal offseason, even if they don't want to.
While some may be able to accept moving on from the two-time All-Pro, it is unlikely that anyone in the fanbase would support a move to the 49ers. Despite the Raiders leaving the Bay Area, the rivalry between the two fanbases certainly runs strong.
An important thing to note is that Mark Davis previously refused to trade Khalil Mack to San Francisco when it was clear that his time with the franchise was over. It is unclear if Las Vegas' owner would have the same sentiment about Crosby now that the two teams are no longer in the same region.
The best-case scenario would be that the Raiders and Crosby continue to shut down trade rumors, and the relationship between the two sides is mended. Kawakami's scenario of the superstar landing in San Francisco, however, is certainly a worst-case scenario for Raider Nation.