The Las Vegas Raiders have plenty of decisions to make over the next couple of months. The roster has plenty of holes, but fortunately, general manager John Spytek and the front office are projected to have nearly $100 million in cap space and 10 draft picks to continue to implement his vision.
While there has been plenty of speculation about what Las Vegas will do with the No. 1 overall pick, it appears clear that Fernando Mendoza will be the selection. Of course, that leaves Maxx Crosby's future as the biggest order of business, as his status for the 2026 season remains up in the air.
Crosby has four years remaining on his contract, but he has been the subject of trade rumors ever since the Raiders sidelined him for the final two games of 2025. A recent trade idea has Las Vegas sending Crosby to his hometown Detroit Lions for Terrion Arnold and more draft compensation.
The Raiders land Terrion Arnold and picks for Maxx Crosby in recent Lions trade pitch
Crosby has been the most important piece of the Raiders' defense since he was drafted. While he has found himself in trade rumors over the past few years, the potential for a deal has never felt more real, as he will be 29 when next season begins, and the franchise is kick-starting yet another rebuild.
Meanwhile, Arnold is set to turn 23 next month and will be entering just his third season in the NFL. Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine believes Las Vegas could ship its star pass rusher to the Lions for the cornerback, in addition to the No. 17 overall pick, and a second-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
"If Crosby is on the block, then the Micah Parsons trade—which cost the Packers two first-round picks and Kenny Clark—is probably the starting point for negotiations," Ballentine wrote. "However, Crosby is 28 years old and coming off a knee injury. He's also never been a first-team All-Pro selection, so he could come at a lower cost than the Parsons trade. There are plenty of teams around the league that would be intriguing suitors. Crosby could improve just about every team's pass rush. The Lions make a lot of sense as a team that has lost momentum as a contender, though. Dan Campbell's group seemed to fade from the spotlight as the year went on."
Arnold certainly fits the Raiders' timeline, which figures to be based around the 22-year-old Mendoza, much better than Crosby. Of course, his production is not nearly on the level of the two-time All-Pro, who is set to enter his eighth season.
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He also missed nine games in 2025, finishing the year with just 31 total tackles, one interception, and eight passes defended. Arnold missed four tackles and allowed a 101.5 passer rating when targeted this past year.
Still, at such a young age, the 2023 First-Team All-American at Alabama has plenty of room for growth. Las Vegas would also have him under contract for the next three seasons, provided they pick up his fifth-year option, as Arnold was a first-round selection in 2024.
While Arnold is one of the most intriguing players mentioned in a potential Crosby trade, Spytek would be wise to try to squeeze another first-round pick out of Detroit rather than settling for a second-rounder.
Although Crosby is not as young as Micah Parsons, one could argue that he is a more impactful player against the run, and the timing of a potential deal could create more suitors than last year's prized trade target, who was not moved until shortly before the season began.
Crosby, of course, has yet to ask for a trade, and everyone in the Raiders building seems intent on keeping him. If he does, however, ask out, Las Vegas could do much worse than the package proposed in the latest trade idea.