Maxx Crosby, Los Angeles Rams
Getty
Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders attends a news conference introducing John Spytek as the general manager and Pete Carroll as the head coach.
The Los Angeles Rams could be primed and in a strong position to make a blockbuster trade this offseason, albeit at a rather surprising position.
LA finished the season with the top-ranked offense, but some clear deficiencies on the defensive side of the ball. Even still, those issues were largely attributed to their fluctuating secondary that battled injuries throughout the campaign.
That makes the latest Rams trade connection stand out even more.
Rams Linked to Trade for Raiders’ Maxx Crosby
Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders
Getty(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Conventional wisdom would suggest that the Rams target the secondary in a trade, and specifically the cornerback position, after they ranked 19th against the pass last season and have multiple pending free agents at the position.
However, that may not be the case, with Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby on LA’s radar.
“I’d lean toward a Maxx Crosby trade happening, and maybe this week,” Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer wrote on March 2. “Vegas, to be sure, isn’t going to give Crosby away.
“We should know soon enough which path the Raiders are taking, with teams like Dallas, Chicago, Baltimore, Buffalo, New England, Philadelphia and the Rams keeping tabs on his availability.”
Crosby is a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time Second Team All-Pro.
There is not much more that must be said to explain his appeal, but he also ranks sixth in sacks since entering the league, per Stathead, reaching double digits in three of the last four seasons.
Rams Sack Leader Could Be on Notice Amid New Rumor
Byron Young, Los Angeles Rams
GettyByron Young #0 of the Los Angeles Rams reacts against the Baltimore Ravens.
Still, the Rams tied for the sixth-most sacks during the 2025 regular season. They ranked fourth in pressure rate, per Pro Football Reference, and would be choosing between taking 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse or 2025 team sack leader Byron Young off the field.
Notably, Young is extension-eligible and entering the final year of his current contract.
He is in line for a raise from his current four-year, $5.5 million pact. Meanwhile, Spotrac projected his value at $28.1 million annually, with a four-year, $112 million deal as an example.
The Rams have several players up for extensions, too, including wide receiver Puka Nacua and, along the defensive line, Kobie Turner. Verse and fellow 2024 draftee Braden Fiske, who led the team in sacks as a rookie, will be up soon enough.
That makes the prospects of acquiring Crobsy in a trade lofty for the Rams.
Trade Pitch Brings Maxx Crosby to LA
Maxx Crosby #98 of the Las Vegas Raiders could be a Patriots trade target.
GettyMaxx Crosby #98 of the Las Vegas Raiders reacts against the Denver Broncos.
Over The Cap has the Rams’ cap space at $41.7 million entering the offseason, which would cover Crosby’s entire $30 million base salary, and they could clear more space by including Young in such a deal.
This Heavy Sports Rams trade proposal would send him and draft capital to Vegas for Crosby.
Rams get:
Maxx Crosby
2026 sixth-round pick swap (No. 209 overall)
Raiders get:
Byron Young
2026 first-round pick (No. 29 overall)
2027 second-round pick
2026 sixth-round pick swap (No. 184 overall)
Young could be a more traditional fit at EDGE in the Raiders’ new 3-4 base defense under head coach Mike Macdonald and defensive coordinator Rob Leonard.
The Rams could face a contract quandary with Crosby, whose three-year, $106.5 million contract extension does not have any guaranteed money from 2027 until it expires in 2029, but that is only a concern if they make the trade.