The Las Vegas Raiders have had a very eventful offseason, as they prepare to, presumably, select Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft later this month. Things began when they moved on from Pete Carroll and hired Klint Kubiak as the head coach who they believe will get the most out of the quarterback.
The next big domino was figuring out the ongoing Maxx Crosby saga. After seven years with the franchise, the two sides seemed destined for a split as Las Vegas agreed to ship the five-time Pro Bowler to the Baltimore Ravens for two first-round picks, including the No. 14 overall selection in this year's draft.
It was not meant to be, however, as just a few days later, Baltimore backed out of the deal in an unprecedented move. Crosby, who had been linked to several other teams, went on to rescind his trade offer. One of those franchises, the Chicago Bears, reportedly was never willing to offer the two first-round picks Las Vegas desired in a potential deal.
The Las Vegas Raiders did not receive their desired Maxx Crosby package from the Chicago Bears
Crosby has established himself as one of the most impactful defensive players in the NFL. He has not had much team success to show for it, however, as the Raiders are just 46-71 with one postseason appearance since selecting him in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
The two-time All-Pro was unhappy with being benched for the final two games of the 2025 season, and the situation appeared to come to a head this offseason. While the Bears were viewed as one of the top suitors for Crosby, The Athletic's Dan Wiederer reported that the franchise had concerns about a potential deal.
"While the Bears were linked to that Crosby storyline for weeks, with speculation swirling that they, too, had offered Las Vegas a pair of first-round picks, that wasn’t the case, a league source told The Athletic. Serious discussions were needed about Crosby’s age (28); the weight of his contract (salary-cap hits north of $35 million and $38 million over the next two seasons, respectively); and his health status (including meniscus repair surgery in January). And Poles has always prided himself on the guardrails he establishes for such situations. The Bears ultimately retreated when it became clear the auction was heading well beyond their comfort zone."
At this point, it has become increasingly clear that Crosby will be in Las Vegas to begin the 2026 season. Even if another team was initially willing to give up two first-round picks, the failed trade with the Ravens likely ended any possibility that the Raiders brass would get the package they desired.
Furthermore, Las Vegas has made it clear that they never wanted to trade Crosby, but were willing to do so to honor the request made by the franchise star. After all, the organization appeared headed for a rebuild, while the pass rusher wants to win now.
Crosby has since rescinded his trade request, and the Raiders have built, arguably, the best defense of his career. While a team like the Bears could revisit trade talks ahead of the deadline, the failed saga with Baltimore seems to have revitalized the relationship between Las Vegas and its star defender.
Add us as a preferred source on Google