In the worst case of buyer's remorse that the NFL has ever seen, Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta pulled out of the trade that he agreed to with the Las Vegas Raiders for Maxx Crosby. This bombshell news has turned the entire league on its head.
As a result of the blockbuster deal, the Raiders and Ravens both adjusted their approaches to free agency, and the rest of the league firmly pivoted. Other teams allocated resources elsewhere for the edge rusher position, and now Baltimore has thrown a massive wrench into things.
And if things don't really seem like they're above board, it's because they likely aren't. This feels like a classic case of DeCosta and the Ravens regretting their decision and working through the league's back channels to find a way to pull the rug out from under the Raiders.
But NFL Network's Tom Pelissero very concisely revealed the fishy nature of Baltimore's dealings.
"One GM summarized the feelings around the league: 'This is very much bull(expletive) on Baltimore’s part.'"
Reports are painting clear picture of Ravens' fishy Maxx Crosby move
Let's look at the facts: It is widely known that Crosby played on a torn meniscus from Week 3 all the way through Week 16. In fact, the Raiders shutting him down is what opened this can of worms and severed the relationship between the two sides in the first place.
Crosby had surgery back in January, and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport has steadfastly reported the timeline for the superstar's return to play. Nothing about his injury history or current situation was hidden from the Ravens. They waited all weekend to get him in the building and make an evaluation.
I try not to be a conspiracy theorist, but this reeks of something terrible. To me, it stands to reason that the Ravens see that Trey Hendrickson, the undisputed No. 1 free agent defensive end, is still available, and they want both him and their first-round picks back.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that I am not alone in thinking that.
"Text from a GM: 'Baltimore is gonna sign Trey Hendrickson. Watch.'”
Longtime reporter Jason LaCanfora also spoke with several NFL general managers, and the consensus is the same.
"Just got off the phone with two GMs. Neither one buying the Ravens failed physical narrative - not by a long shot. Good luck finding agents and teams to trust you in negotiations now. It's not sitting well with the Raiders either. Coulda got further medicals on Crosby way sooner."
RELATED: Raiders just got screwed as Ravens shockingly pull out of Maxx Crosby trade
Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, who is never all that kind when it comes to the Raiders, even expressed that Baltimore's move might not be on the up and up.
"Every trade is contingent on a player passing a physical. But the Raiders didn't say Crosby failed his Ravens physical. The Raiders said the Ravens "backed out" of the trade. This feels bigger than a failed physical."
The Athletic's James Palmer also noted that other teams around the league are scrambling, thanks to this wrinkle.
"Texted with some one on a team that had a level of interest in Maxx Crosby initially to see if they were back in. They essentially said they've been scrambling since the news broke. "So much has changed since that trade. With us. With everybody. WTF.'"
To cap it all off, Pelissero spoke on NFL Network and explained the general mood around the league and the fallout of the Ravens' fishy decision.
"The reaction from other people within the NFL that I am getting is predominantly about how the Ravens pulled the rug out, regardless of what their reasoning was. This just does not happen," Pelissero said. "However, when you're talking about trading two first-round picks, this is not an unknown issue with Maxx Crosby. Everyone knew he had a knee injury. ... It did not stop the Ravens from offering two first-round picks."
If, and let's be honest, when, the Ravens sign Hendrickson, the NFL should have a full-fledged investigation into the matter. Baltimore tilted the league on its axis by backing out of this deal, and the Raiders are the ones who may end up getting screwed. As always.