After the Baltimore Ravens bailed on a trade that would have sent him there, Maxx Crosby remains a Las Vegas Raider until further notice. Trade speculation could reignite down the road, especially if things go a certain way for the Raiders in Klint Kubiak's first season as head coach.
Despite presumably knowing how the Raiders were equipped to improve the roster this offseason, Crosby still asked to be traded. Being part of a better team, regardless of how that looked in terms of wins and losses, and a new head coach, apparently, wasn't enough to make him want to stick around.
At a certain point, persistent losing will wear any player down, though, and Crosby will wear that failure more than most players. But for now, all is right between player and team after a couple of months filled with speculation about Crosby's future.
Raiders' expected improvement will automatically benefit Maxx Crosby
According to AP writer Josh Dubrow, along with leading the league in fourth-quarter tackles for loss since he was drafted back in 2019, Crosby is tied for fourth in the league in fourth-quarter sacks over the course of his career.
The Raiders have had just one winning season in those seven campaigns, with at least 11 losses in three of the last four. There simply haven't been a lot of fourth-quarter leads to be had for Las Vegas, forcing opposing offenses into run-heavy mode.
That Crosby is anywhere to be seen on a league-wide fourth-quarter sack leader board is a testament to just how good he is. It's also a reflection of what he could do if he simply had more late-game opportunities to pin his ears back and get after the quarterback.
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That his best three seasons for quarterback hits, and his two best seasons for sacks, came when the Raiders went 24-27 from 2021-2023 is no coincidence. If Las Vegas is a better team and Crosby has a chance to improve his statistical production, his DPOY case is much more iron-clad.
Crosby has only finished top-10 in the league in sacks twice in his career (2022 and 2023), and he has never finished top-five. His ceiling there has been legitimately limited by the Raiders' ineptitude, and thus, he has never been a legit contender for big awards and accolades outside of Pro Bowl nods.
If the Raiders are noticeably better next season, Crosby would then be in a position to rush the passer more often late in games. The residual effect would put a new career-high for sacks in play, which would naturally put him back into the conversation for every accolade he wants and deserves.
Winning more helps everyone. If the Raiders can pull it off in 2026, Crosby is at the top of the list of beneficiaries.