Las Vegas Raiders superstar pass-rusher Maxx Crosby seemingly opened the door to him possibly being traded sometime in the future.
Speaking with reporters this week, Crosby said he wants to win now and isn’t interested in playing for a rebuilding franchise that will likely suffer losses along the way.
“I’m not here to rebuild. I’m here to win,” Crosby said about his football intentions, via Crunch Time Sports. “I don’t know, whatever that means, but yeah, I’m here to win now. Wherever I’m gonna be… I’m gonna be here to win. So, that’s all that matters to me.”
Fans across the NFL just did a double-take at Crosby saying “wherever I’m gonna be” with the 2024 NFL trade deadline just weeks away.
https://twitter.com/officialctpod/status/1846985591965340059
Crosby may well be open to the idea of a trade to a contending team that needs pass-rush help, which isn’t a short list. After the Raiders jettisoned wide receiver Davante Adams to the New York Jets this week, the idea of a Crosby trade becomes more realistic. He would have plenty of suitors.
However, Raiders owner Mark Davis squashed any idea this week that the franchise was interested in sending Crosby elsewhere.
“It’s unfortunate today, but there’s so much outside chatter that is not true,” Davis told The Athletic. “It’s not coming from any sources. It’s not coming from anything. My basic thing is never to answer all that stuff because, otherwise, you get trapped in this black hole. It’s just not happening.”
However, this is the NFL. All it takes is a trade request or a Godfather-style offer Las Vegas couldn’t refuse to spark a move. After all, this is the team that traded outside linebacker Khalil Mack at the height of his career for a bevy of draft picks and literally just traded Adams to New York.
If say, a pass-rush needy team with contention hopes like the Detroit Lions offers the Raiders two first-round picks and change, do they say no? Las Vegas could set itself up well for the future with this kind of draft capital.
Although, you have to consider the viability of having franchise cornerstones on your roster when a rookie quarterback comes to town. The Houston Texans and Washington Commanders are recent examples of teams whose fortunes skyrocketed once a star rookie entered the lineup.
Davis may envision his franchise like one of those with the right quarterback in place, which could make having an elite defender like Crosby all the more valuable. It’s not a guarantee you hit on your draft pick, but it’s worth considering as to why Las Vegas would want Crosby around for the next few years at least. Adams wanted out; we don’t know if Crosby does yet.
Davis sure sounds giddy about the idea of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders sporting a Raiders jersey next season. Having a player like Crosby around for that kind of player’s arrival becomes all the more important.
However, Crosby sounds tired of losing in a Raiders uniform and could wish for a change of scenery. If he ever makes a trade request, Las Vegas finds itself in a tough spot. If that request came in the spring and a possible holdout came into the picture, that spot gets even tougher. The Raiders have more leverage in October than they would in March.
It’s anyone’s guess as to where Crosby finishes the season, whether that’s with the Raiders or another team. However, you can’t discount the possibility of something this seismic shaking up the league. Stranger things have happened, even though this isn’t as simple or likely as some fans might hope.
