The Las Vegas Raiders are about to start a new era, with Klint Kubiak taking over as head coach, and Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza expected to be selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 Draft.
Unfortunately, the excitement for this new start is already being clouded with some drama, as Maxx Crosby trade rumors have taken over the Raiders' offseason. Seemingly, a new report surfaces every day saying that Crosby is likely to be traded.
If that happens, Las Vegas would receive an incredible haul of draft picks for the star defender. A recent report from Adam Schefter, however, revealed that the trade package for Crosby could look like nothing the NFL has seen before.
Amid Maxx Crosby trade rumors, NFL could adjust rule surrounding draft pick trades
During Monday's appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Schefter was asked how many years into the future an NFL team can trade its draft picks. The veteran insider answered that the rule currently permits trading picks from the next three drafts.
But Schefter also revealed that at least one team will push this offseason to change that limit to five years. That would certainly be a game-changer, as it would allow teams to have a ton more resources to get deals done.
Ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, teams can trade their picks from 2026, 2027, and 2028. But if the NFL were to change its rule and alter the trade limit to five years, franchises would also be able to move picks from 2029 and 2030 as well.
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That would allow trade packages to get significantly larger, and it would also allow teams that have already moved their other first-round picks to be involved in potential blockbuster moves like the one for Crosby.
However, even if the NFL makes this rule change, there will still be a question about a team’s willingness to utilize the change. Trading away an elite player, when you may not even start to see a return for five seasons, isn’t an approach that’s going to make sense to a lot of teams.
While acquiring those future picks could be used as assets down the line, it may be hard to change some teams' mindsets from thinking short-term. Plus, NFL general manager jobs are fickle, and one could be making a decision that they'll never reap the benefits of.
Those would be decisions that franchises would have to make if the rule is changed. But first, everyone must wait to see if the owners are on board with this at all. But if they are, that could dramatically affect a potential Maxx Crosby trade.