Years of trade speculation in Maxx Crosby's orbit finally reached a breaking point this offseason, as he asked the Las Vegas Raiders for a trade. Then, an agreed-upon deal with the Baltimore Ravens fell apart when the Ravens acted like Crosby's knee surgery and recovery timetable were a secret.
For now, everyone is saying the right things. Crosby is happy to still be a Raider, but the equation would almost certainly change if the team is losing a bunch of games early in the season. If nothing else, lurking potential trade suitors are sure to show interest in acquiring Crosby at the trade deadline.
While trade rumors in Las Vegas are going to continue to center around Crosby until further notice, he is not the only Raider who could be moved in the coming months. Here are a handful of players with value that could theoretically be dealt.
5 non-Maxx Crosby Las Vegas Raiders' trade candidates for 2026
WR Dont'e Thornton Jr.
If we were doing a bit of "one of these things is not quite like the others" on this list, Thornton would be the one. A disappointing rookie season, which obviously was not all his fault, has been followed by real talk that he is not a lock for the 53-man roster.
Rookie Malik Benson is a serious threat to his role in the offense, and he does not offer any special teams value. Back in May, Matt Holder of Silver and Black Pride entertained the idea that Thornton could be traded during training camp.
"I also think Dont’e Thornton Jr. is feeling the heat and might be a trade candidate during training camp, similar to Jakorian Bennett last year," Holder wrote. "The Raiders have plenty of speed at wide receiver between Jalen Nailor, Tre Tucker and Malik Benson. So, Thornton is really going to have to step up, or he could be playing elsewhere next season."
The question would then become about Thornton Jr.'s trade value, if he even has any. If he has not impressed the new coaching staff by the time the regular season rolls around, though, then the potential trade return probably won't matter if a suitor can be found.
OG Jackson Powers-Johnson
Whatever the reasons were, good, bad or imagined, Powers-Johnson never connected with last year's coaching staff. For a time, it appeared Pete Carroll was setting the table for a trade. Some of that trade talk has resurfaced this offseason, but it lands prematurely as he tries to earn his keep under a new coaching staff.
It feels like Powers-Johnson should be a lock for a starting guard spot, but as we look toward training camp, that's hardly the case. If he isn't a Week 1 starter, his ability to play all three interior line spots makes him very valuable. The door also wouldn't (or shouldn't) be closed on him becoming a starter at either spot next to center Tyler Linderbaum before the season ends.
But if there are indications that Powers-Johnson is failing to impress another coaching staff, based on reports that come out, a "we can fix him" vibe may surface from other teams and drive fresh trade speculation. A former second-round pick who was discussed as a potential first-rounder can't have completely lost his mojo so quickly, right?
Even if he does step up his game during training camp and into the season, Powers-Johnson might become a real trade asset for the Raiders. The drivers of that conversation would then be a pipeline of young players behind him on the depth chart, and another losing season that has taken shape before the trade deadline.
SAF Jeremy Chinn
Chinn had a fine first season with the Raiders in 2025, and he will be looking to build on that in a contract year under new defensive coordinator Rob Leonard. His talents should be better maximized under the scheme that Leonard is projected to run.
That said, the drafting of Treydan Stukes and Dalton Johnson shows a plan for the future at safety. Add in the contract year layer, with the potential of a starting safety or two around the league going down at some point, and Chinn could become a verified trade asset that can't be ignored.
Raider Nation would surely rather see if he is having another good season in 2026. Chinn could even get a contract extension rather than be traded before Week 1 or before the deadline. But nothing should be off the table when it comes to potential trade assets.
QB Kirk Cousins
Cousins is the clear favorite to be the Raiders' Week 1 starter under center, and when/if Fernando Mendoza takes over, he will be a solid veteran backup to have around for this rebuilding team and its young quarterback.
But there is a scenario where a team loses its starting signal-caller before Week 1, or early in the season, before the trade deadline. General manager John Spytek would surely get a call about Cousins then, with all the leverage in his corner to maximize the return in a trade.
The percentage chance that Cousins is traded feels low, even if the scenario that'd bring it firmly into play happens. However, ruling it out completely would be foolish. This is the NFL, and more importantly, the Raiders, so anything can happen.
QB Aidan O'Connell
While he certainly has value in the role, spending his contract year as the Raiders' No. 3 quarterback would not be ideal for O'Connell. But if Cousins were to become a viable trade asset, mostly driven by Mendoza's development and timeline to become the starter, he would elevate to the No. 2 spot on the depth chart and be the proverbial "one snap away" from getting to play.
As teams sort out their depth charts during training camp and the preseason, O'Connell's starting experience and work in multiple different offenses during his Raiders tenure would make him a potential trade target.
And it wouldn't necessarily end there, as some teams could simply be looking to upgrade their backup situation when the season starts.
Add us as a preferred source on Google