The Las Vegas Raiders appeared to have a deal in place to send Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens. While fans did not want to see the superstar pass rusher leave, it was hard to argue with the return of the No. 14 overall pick and a 2027 first-rounder.
That haul was set to help kickstart the rebuild centered around projected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. Instead, the Ravens backed out of the deal on Tuesday in an unprecedented move, as Crosby failed his physical. Of course, that was expected, as he recently underwent knee surgery.
The timing of the decision has led to plenty of speculation that Baltimore, which certainly knew that Crosby would not pass a physical this soon after surgery, had buyer's remorse. While many Raiders fans are hoping to see the team face punishment for operating in bad faith, don't count on it.
NFL reporter Michael Silver recently cautioned against that happening.
Michael Silver reveals why Raiders fans shouldn't expect the Ravens to face any penalties for Maxx Crosby fiasco
There was plenty of speculation that the Ravens reassessed the deal after losing many of their own free agents, including Tyler Linderbaum, who joined the Raiders on a record contract. The fact that Trey Hendrickson remained unsigned, with reports indicating that he had made a decision just hours before the Crosby news broke, certainly didn't help Baltimore's case.
Of course, Hendrickson ultimately wound up joining the Ravens on a four-year, $112 million contract that is quite similar to the remainder of Crosby's deal, minus the draft capital. While Raider Nation and even other fanbases have been calling for Baltimore to suffer some type of punishment, The Athletic's Michael Silver cautioned against holding out hope that they will face any penalties.
"Even if we were able to find out conclusively that the Ravens backed out for those reasons, the Raiders would be powerless. Baltimore technically was allowed to do so, because no actual trade had been completed," Silver explained. "There will be no day of reckoning; only regret. It’s not as if the rest of the league would blackball the Ravens over such a transgression, even if proven. If anything, the teams that ultimately try to trade for Crosby may thank Baltimore — for creating a state of affairs that substantially reduces the price."
The Athletic's Dianna Russini expressed a similar sentiment regarding whether or not the league will black list Baltimore during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show.
RELATED: Former Raiders LB calls out Ravens for backing out of Maxx Crosby trade
"If the reason you did this was because you got cold feet that you gave up two first-rounders for a player that's going to be 29 years old in (August), that you thought that maybe his knee wasn't in the shape that you want it to be, and, 'Oh look, there's Trey Hendrickson.' I think that's where it gets a little sticky," Russini explained. "And I think that's where a lot of general managers and head coaches and agents that have been texting you, for sure, have been texting me to make it known that this isn't the way it's supposed to operate. And, look, we'll all move past it. No one's going to stop doing business with them. That's not how it is. We know how it goes in football, people move on quick, but this certainly isn't a great moment."
While there have been reports that other general managers aren't thrilled with the precedent set by Baltimore, it is not surprising that they wouldn't hold it against the organization. Ultimately, those front offices have to consider what is best for their franchise, even with the knowledge that the Ravens may not be the most trustworthy trading partner.
The league is also unlikely to punish Baltimore, as deals aren't finalized until the beginning of the new league year. Of course, they could technically issue a fine or dock them of draft capital for bad faith negotiations, however, it is unlikely to get to that point.
Although most of the league would agree that the Ravens ultimately got cold feet, there isn't much course of action for Las Vegas, outside of moving on. Fortunately, the stunt pulled by Baltimore won't have an impact on the haul that the Raiders have landed in free agency, as they are set to retain the entire class even with Crosby back on the books.
But it feels like justice still needs to be served, somehow.