On Thursday morning, news broke that the Chicago Bears traded wide receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the terms of the deal: The Bills received Moore and a 2026 fifth-round pick, and the Bears received a 2026 second-round pick.
The Bears were already the odds-on favorites to trade for Las Vegas Raiders star defensive end Maxx Crosby, and the Moore trade put them in an even more favorable position. Not only did it free up cap space, but Chicago now also holds the No. 25, No. 57, and No. 60 overall picks in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft in April.
Could that be enough draft capital to land Crosby?
That depends on which way the winds are blowing regarding the Crosby trade rumors at any given hour, but they’re blowing toward the Windy City right now. According to Trey Wingo, the Bears have one fewer competitor vying for Crosby, assuming they have a genuine interest.
“Things are moving fast re: Maxx Crosby,” Wingo wrote. “Last night, Dallas thought they were close to a deal, but since then, other teams have raised the ante and potentially are offering the Raiders two first-round picks. [Expect] Dallas to now shift their focus to Trey Hendrickson.”
For reference, the Cincinnati Bengals declined to place the franchise tag on All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson earlier this week, which will allow him to become an unrestricted free agent. Teams can begin negotiating with impending free agents on March 9 at noon EST, and the new league year and free agency officially open on March 11 at 4 p.m. EST.
Wingo’s report squares with The Athletic‘s Dianna Russini’s report from Wednesday: “Based on several conversations with league sources, the Raiders have not moved off from their asking price of two first-round picks and a player. Several teams are interested, but decision makers are getting mixed signals from the Raiders in regards to their genuine interest in dealing their star.”
Should the Raiders decide to deal Crosby, the Bears could desperately use his pass-rushing services. While the Bears led the NFL with 22 turnovers, they also ranked 22nd in sacks (35) in 2025. Crosby has been a Raider since the franchise found him in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. The 28-year-old has 69.5 career sacks, including 10 sacks last season, and has earned Pro Bowl honors for five consecutive years.
The Raiders ruled Crosby out for the remainder of the season with two games left, which he “vehemently disagreed” with (via FOX’s Jay Glazer). Crosby had a successful surgery to repair his meniscus in January and posted a video showing his progress last weekend. Crosby has long held the nickname Mad Maxx. Whether in Chicago, Las Vegas, or somewhere else - Philadelphia? - he’ll be plenty motivated to live up to the title in 2026.
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