The Las Vegas Raiders pulled off a true blockbuster trade on the Friday evening before free agency when they sent superstar Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens for the No. 14 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and another first-rounder in 2027. This was an emotional but necessary move for the Raiders.
I imagine the fallout of the deal for Raider Nation is something like this: The fanbase is fairly split, with some incredibly upset about losing a talented player who was also the heart and soul of the team, and others just glad that Las Vegas landed a great return package and that the drama is now over.
As for the rest of the AFC West and their respective fanbases, I imagine it like the scene in Wicked when the citizens of Oz are celebrating that the Witch is finally dead. After all, he did make life difficult for divisional foes. Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton's comments certainly prove that point.
Sean Payton couldn't be more thrilled Raiders traded Maxx Crosby
FOX Sports reporter Jay Glazer, who is rightfully taking a victory lap right now as the first to report Crosby's discontent in Las Vegas, spoke to Payton after Crosby was dealt to Baltimore. It's safe to say that Payton is thrilled with the Raiders' decision.
"Sean Payton called me soooo fired up the Raiders traded Maxx Crosby and even just texted Maxx saying he’s offering to pay a private plane one-way flight to Baltimore, happy to see him out of the division. Funny," Glazer wrote. "But (Payton) also added, 'You are an inspiration to watch and compete against.' Payton has long raved about how Maxx never slows down during games."
Well, it certainly doesn't feel good when a rival head coach is celebrating a move that the franchise made. That makes the Raiders feel like they lost the deal. Especially when you look at how eager Payton was to get Crosby out of the division.
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Of course, fans knew that opposing coaches, especially offensive play-callers, would be thrilled not having to gameplan around Crosby or go up against him twice annually. He dominated the AFC West for seven years, and especially Payton's Broncos.
But feel good now, Sean. Because something special is being built in Las Vegas, and no, it's not the Hard Rock's Guitar Tower Hotel on The Strip. It's the John Spytek and Klint Kubiak-led Raiders, who have every conceivable piece of ammunition available to them to finally turn this ship around.
Yes, Payton's comments feel like a bit of salt was rubbed in the wound right now. But fans never doubted Crosby's impact; they simply doubted whether he was more valuable as a Raider or as a trade chip to spur this rebuild. Spytek decided on the latter. Hopefully, Payton eats his words.