The Las Vegas Raiders have been at the center of the biggest story this offseason. After months of trade rumors, it appeared that they would lose the heart and soul of their defense, as they agreed to send Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens for a first-round pick in the next two drafts.
Four days later, the NFL world was shocked as the Raiders announced that Baltimore had backed out of the deal. Crosby has since announced that he is re-committing to Las Vegas, sharing that he was impressed with both their coaching changes and their free agent moves.
Of course, that has not stopped the chatter about the Raiders revisiting the trade market for the five-time Pro Bowler. NFL legend Aaron Donald recently questioned whether or not the two sides will be able to repair their relationship following Crosby's return to Las Vegas.
Aaron Donald's questions about Maxx Crosby's relationship with the Raiders shouldn't worry fans
While Crosby has been very vocal about how he is "meant to be a Raider" ever since the trade fell through, many are still questioning if that will be the case in 2026. It shouldn't come as a surprise, as just a few weeks ago, he was the one requesting to be moved.
Donald suggested that the two-time All-Pro should still want out during a recent episode of his podcast, The Inner Circle.
"For me, it would be a little awkward. You move on. It's like, we made the trade and then however it fell through, it didn't (go) through, and now I'm back in your household again. For me, I would feel uncomfortable," Donald said. "Now, I don't know how I'd feel. Would I want to be there? Would I want to stay there? I'd kind of be more trying to figure something else to try to go elsewhere. That's just me. I don't know how Maxx feels, but, me personally, I don't know if I'd be comfortable in that building."
Pro Football Hall of Famer Jared Allen shared a similar sentiment during his appearance on Fox Sports' First Things First.
"You have a new coaching staff, a new GM, you have a whole new organization basically, who basically said we didn't want you here. And the reality is, the trade wasn't a surprise for him. A player of that caliber doesn't get traded without him and his agent being fully aware of it," Allen explained. "You have two parties who were amicably going to split based on compensation, now coming back and pretending they both want each other. ... The face of your franchise was supposed to be someone else; now he's back. So, how are you going to sit there and now rebuild that chemistry, rebuild that culture around Maxx Crosby? And the reality is, they might not want that. No one's talking about it. Sometimes when new coaches come in, they fire everybody... I don't know how it comes back together. I really don't."
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Donald and Allen both miss the mark, as neither acknowledged that the trade was Crosby's request, not something the Raiders forced upon him. Additionally, the relationship between the two sides wasn't as strained as many reports prior to the deal had suggested.
Instead, Crosby requested a trade because he simply wanted the opportunity to play meaningful football, while Las Vegas was, once again, starting over. He has already publicly claimed that he is no longer looking to be moved, something he refused to do before the initial deal went down.
Now, could the superstar pass rusher become unhappy again? It is certainly something that can't be ruled out, as he has been very clear about his desire to win a Super Bowl before he hangs up his cleats. Las Vegas could also still trade him. Nothing should be considered off the table.
But for now, however, Raider Nation should not worry about outside noise, as he has no reason to be angry with the organization. Ultimately, Crosby requested the trade, and the front office granted his wish. Baltimore pulling out of the deal shouldn't, and won't, affect how he views the Raiders' brass.