Maxx Crosby
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Maxx Crosby is reportedly thrilled to have been traded from the Raiders to the Ravens
With the start of free agency looming, the Baltimore Ravens shook up the NFL landscape by pulling off a blockbuster trade with the Las Vegas Raiders for superstar defensive end Maxx Crosby. The price was steep, as the Ravens are sending a pair of first-round picks the other way, but the hope is that this move will help the team in its quest to win a Super Bowl.
Ever since Crosby was shut down late in the 2025 campaign in order to help the Raiders tank for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, it seemed like a trade was inevitable. In the end, Baltimore ended up forking over the package that Las Vegas was looking for, and it sounds like Crosby is thrilled to have landed with this squad.
Maxx Crosby ‘Giddy’ After Getting Dealt to the Ravens
Dianna Russini
Maxx Crosby wanted to be a ‘Raider for life,’ but then it all fell apart. @VicTafur shares his thoughts on the blockbuster move
A fourth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Crosby turned himself into a star player for the Raiders, despite their consistent struggles as a team. Crosby has earned five-straight Pro Bowl selections, including a pair of All-Pro Second Team honors in 2021 and 2023. When he’s healthy, it’s tough to say that there’s a more impactful three-down defensive lineman in the league than the Ravens’ new star.
Over the past few years, though, Crosby’s relationship with his longtime team began to fall apart. Simply put, Las Vegas could not build a winner around Crosby, and the front office’s decision to shut him down in order to help its efforts in landing the No. 1 pick officially destroyed that relationship. Sure, the Raiders will draft Fernando Mendoza with that selection, but it also cost them their best player in Crosby.
In Baltimore, Crosby will join a defense that has struggled to consistently generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks in recent seasons. That won’t be an issue anymore, as that is what Crosby specializes in, and it sounds like he is chomping at the bit as he gets ready to hit the ground running with his new squad.
“Crosby is giddy that he gets to play for a team that has only had two losing seasons and has won three playoff games during his seven years in the league,” Vic Tafur reported for The Athletic.
Ravens Embrace Super Bowl or Bust Expectations After Maxx Crosby Trade
Maxx Crosby
GettyLAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 17: Maxx Crosby #98 of the Las Vegas Raiders looks on against the Dallas Cowboys during the second quarter at Allegiant Stadium on November 17, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
After entering the 2025 season with Super Bowl expectations, the Ravens knew that changes needed to be made after they missed the playoffs entirely. That started with revamping their coaching staff, but the biggest changes were always going to be made to the team’s roster. The addition of Crosby only adds to the notion that this team should be competing for a championship in 2026 and beyond.
Of course, there are other holes on this roster that Baltimore needs to address. In free agency, center Tyler Linderbaum’s status looms large, as there’s a decent chance that he will be headed elsewhere if he hits the open market. Adding Crosby will make life easier for the entire defense, though, and assuming the offense largely remains intact, the Ravens appear primed to make some noise when they return to action in 2026.