It isn’t a secret that Maxx Crosby has fast become one of the gems of the 2026 offseason. Everybody knows he is likely to get traded after a falling out with the Las Vegas Raiders. Their decision to bench him in favor of tanking while facing another long rebuild was the final straw. He wants to win and is prepared to demand that the team send him somewhere he’ll have a chance to do that. It doesn’t take a quantum physicist to know half the league will be interested in him. What they probably didn’t expect was that Caleb Williams would fire the first shot before anybody else.
Crosby has a weekly podcast called The Rush. In episode 81, he had a special guest. Yep, the Chicago Bears’ quarterback. There is no way that is a coincidence. Williams will play it off as innocent, but he’s way too smart a person to do this by accident. That is especially true when you listen to their dynamic. The mutual respect is obvious, and it’s clear they like each other. Crosby has immense expectations for Williams. He also gave a nod of approval for how the Bears fixed their organizational issues, which led to their playoff run last season.
Maxx Crosby gave Caleb Williams his flowers:
“You’re one of those guys for sure and you’re just getting started. I don’t even know you understand yet how good you can be and that’s the scariest part —You know we’re locked in forever—You need me, hit me at any time." pic.twitter.com/anuzRlMKe2
— Dave (@davebfr) February 17, 2026
Caleb Williams isn’t ignorant of the Bears’ needs.
Despite their success in getting to the playoffs, it became apparent they were flawed when matched up against the league’s best. No issue loomed larger than their pass rush. Montez Sweat and Austin Booker had some nice moments, but the team lacked a true impact play on their defensive line. It is a big reason the Bears were a distant 23rd in sack percentage this past season. It is hard to win a championship under those conditions. Chicago has been trying to fix it for the past few years.
Rank Team Sack Percentage Total Sacks
1 Denver Broncos 10.43% 68.0
2 Minnesota Vikings 9.88% 49.0
3 Cleveland Browns 9.81% 53.0
4 Atlanta Falcons 9.73% 57.0
5 Houston Texans 8.55% 47.0
6 Los Angeles Chargers 8.55% 45.0
7 New Orleans Saints 8.40% 45.0
8 Detroit Lions 8.11% 49.0
9 Tennessee Titans 7.55% 42.0
10 Pittsburgh Steelers 7.33% 48.0
11 Seattle Seahawks 7.32% 47.0
12 Washington Commanders 7.22% 42.0
13 Miami Dolphins 7.04% 39.0
14 Philadelphia Eagles 6.95% 42.0
15 Los Angeles Rams 6.85% 47.0
16 New England Patriots 6.65% 35.0
17 New York Giants 6.62% 39.0
18 Las Vegas Raiders 6.60% 37.0
19 Kansas City Chiefs 6.43% 35.0
20 Buffalo Bills 6.41% 36.0
21 Cincinnati Bengals 6.15% 35.0
22 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6.12% 37.0
23 Chicago Bears 6.05% 35.0
24 Dallas Cowboys 5.92% 35.0
25 Indianapolis Colts 5.86% 39.0
26 Green Bay Packers 5.84% 36.0
27 Carolina Panthers 5.34% 35.0
28 Arizona Cardinals 4.98% 59.0
29 New York Jets 4.81% 60.0
30 Jacksonville Jaguars 4.69% 41.0
31 Baltimore Ravens 4.58% 45.0
32 San Francisco 49ers 3.49% 20.0
Bears general manager Ryan Poles has taken some significant swings. He traded for Sweat in 2023, drafted Gervon Dexter that same year, and recently signed both Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett in free agency last spring. It hasn’t been enough. The team still lacks that dynamic presence opponents must account for. Somebody like Crosby. That is why Caleb Williams’ timing is plenty suspicious. He knows a huge part of making such a trade happen is getting the All-Pro on board. This interview feels like the perfect way to pave the road.
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