heavy.com

Bears’ Unexpected OL Trade Clears Path to Maxx Crosby Deal

Maxx Crosby Bears Betting Odds Maxx Crosby Odds Bears Trade Maxx Crosby Trade

Getty

Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby.

The Chicago Bears just made their second meaningful trade of the week, which is a strong indicator that the team is looking to spend its newly acquired salary cap space on an elite edge-rusher — perhaps Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders.

Chicago was among the favorites to break the bank on Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum, that is until they traded a fifth-round pick on Friday, March 6 to acquire Garret Bradbury from the New England Patriots.

The deal fills the significant roster gap left by the unexpected retirement of Drew Dalman earlier this week. Chicago now needs only to address the left tackle position for one year in 2026, while the team waits for the healthy return of Ozzy Trapilo following a knee injury he sustained against the Green Bay Packers in Round 1 of the playoffs.

Braxton Jones could come back on a one- or two-year contract at a moderate annual salary, or the Bears can pursue left tackle Taylor Decker who asked for on Friday, and will soon get, his release from the Detroit Lions.

Earlier this week, Chicago dealt wide receiver DJ Moore and a fifth-round pick to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for the No. 60 overall selection in Round 2, clearing $16.5 million in salary cap space. The Bears then announced plans to release linebacker Tremaine Edmunds to clear another $15 million off the books.

Chicago now has one first-round pick, two second-round picks and a third-rounder, all inside the top 89 selections in the NFL draft this April. The Bears have also cleared plenty of cap space to absorb Crosby’s deal and also have a strong trade package to begin negotiations with the Nos. 25 and 57 overall picks this year as the centerpieces of a deal.

Bears Can Make Raiders Competitive Offer of 1st-Round and 2nd-Round Picks for Maxx Crosby

Maxx Crosby

GettyDefensive end Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Raiders reportedly want two first-round picks for Crosby, but Bill Barnwell of ESPN has been adamant that Las Vegas won’t get that kind of return given Crosby’s age and recent injury history, as moderate as it has been.

To that point, the Dallas Cowboys withdrew from negotiations for Crosby on Thursday due to the asking price of two first-rounders being too high.

Chicago’s potential offer of a first- and second-rounder this year would afford the Raiders another two quality picks to go along with the No. 1 overall selection and pick Nos. 33 and 67.

Las Vegas would select five times within the top 70, including four times after picking quarterback Fernando Mendoza first, which can help the young offense begin its rebuild in earnest under new head coach Klint Kubiak.

Bears’ Path on Defense May Have Changed With O-Line Solutions Becoming Clear

Tyler Linderbaum

GettyBaltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Thursday that he didn’t see the Bears in “the driver’s seat” on a deal for Crosby.

And while he was right when he predicted Chicago would not spend huge on Linderbaum but would go cheaper at center, the math on Crosby may have chanced with the Bears’ acquisition of Bradbury and the newfound availability of Decker in free agency.

The edge-rush was the Bears’ biggest deficiency on either side of the football, and they made the final four in the NFC regardless. Adding Crosby and still adding two quality players at pick Nos. 60 and 89 is a recipe for continued ascension if Bradbury and the left tackle position both work out in Chicago in 2026.

Read full news in source page