Maxx Crosby, you are still a Las Vegas Raider. At least, that seems to be the plan for now.
Speaking to reporters at the NFL combine on Tuesday morning, Vegas GM John Spytek said he is confident the standout defensive end will remain with the Raiders for the 2026 season (17:32).
🎥 🔴 LIVE: General Manager John Spytek addresses the media from the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana. https://t.co/JxeXIiCCSy
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) February 24, 2026
Crosby's future in Sin City has been a bit ... up in the air as of late, following an inauspicious end to the 2025 campaign. Not only did the Raiders finish 3–14 and fire head coach Pete Carroll, but the team also shut the injured DE down with two games left in the year, something that did not sit well with a perennial All-Pro who has made clear he's looking to win now.
His name has since been floated in trade rumors, even if Spytek has remained consistent that he wants to keep the DE, and even if the DE has not publicly insisted on a deal. Complicating matters is the fact that he is currently recovering from a minor meniscus repair surgery, from which his recovery won't conclude until after the start of free agency.
In January, Spytek was asked if he views Crosby as "untradeable." The GM did not specifically answer the question, but he did say this:
“I love Maxx. He embodies what a Raider is. I’ve been pretty up front with that from the day I sat up here a year ago and I continue to believe that.”
Then, on Tuesday, he noted that, "Maxx is an elite player. ... We're in the business of having elite players on the team, and we need a lot more of 'em. It's hard to build an elite team without elite players."
But of course, the combine could be a great place to discuss a trade if there really is a desire for a deal on either side of the equation.
“If there is a time to discuss a [Crosby] trade, it is this week here in Indianapolis," NFL insider Tom Pelissero said Monday. "It is no secret that [Maxx] Crosby has been frustrated by the constant turnover and change in Las Vegas. Also, is frustrated by the way last season ended when the Raiders shut him down with two games to go. … There are fences to be mended here, and everybody has to decide what the proper course of action is moving forward. … I would expect Crosby’s representatives and the Raiders to meet. But also there could be a variety of different conversations with other teams about what a trade would look like in terms of who that trade could be to."
All in all, things will become clearer here soon, but for now, we'll just have to read the tea leaves as best we can. For now, Spytek's Tuesday comments indicate a Crosby return in the fall.
Crosby signed a lucrative three-year extension with the Raiders in March of 2025.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Vegas GM Shares Confident Take on Maxx Crosby's Future With Raiders.
