Maxx Crosby.
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The Detroit Lions have wanted Maxx Crosby in the fold for years, but it may be for the best that they didn't get him.
The Detroit Lions have been wanting to get Las Vegas Raiders edge Maxx Crosby back to his home state of Michigan for years, but Crosby has been a Raider for life, and it wasn’t until this offseason that the team was willing to part with him. Well, the Lions didn’t get him, but that may have been for the best, according to a Monday, March 16 report.
Crosby’s offseason has been interesting, to say the least. The edge was traded to the Baltimore Ravens in a blockbuster deal, but that contract fell through on Tuesday, March 10, and the Ravens ended up signing free agent Trey Hendrickson. Following the exchange, Crosby took to social media to announce that he’s playing with the Raiders for the 2026-27 season, although anything can happen in the NFL.
Now, a new report from a doctor sheds light into why Crosby not being able to pass his physical may have been a concern for the Baltimore Ravens, and that also pertains to the Lions.
Maxx Crosby May Have Had Another Injury Concern, Medical Expert Says
In a Monday, March 16 feature for USA Today’s Lions Wire, Jimmy Liao, MD, makes the case that Crosby’s “surgeon leak” may shed light into why the Ravens deal went bad.
“The key quote is here describing the damage to the knee,” Dr. Liao notes, quoting Crosby’s doctor’s report. That quote, he says, is “…a significant meniscus tear and the related stress injury to the bone and cartilage in his knee.”
“These words suggest that Crosby does not just have meniscus damage, but also bone and articular cartilage damage,” the doctor adds.
He continues, “If the articular cartilage damage was newly discovered (or revealed) at the physical, this could absolutely explain why the Ravens felt the need to reconsider the trade and eventually cancel it.” Dr. Liao adds that “any articular cartilage damage creates much more concern for Crosby both short and long-term.”
He even says that because of this new finding, it “will become much more difficult for the Raiders to find a trade partner willing to part with premium draft picks and pay a high salary.”
Baltimore Ravens May Still Be Open to a Trade
Even though Crosby says he’s back with the Raiders, that could change. On Sunday, March 15, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN went on SportsCenter and, according to Bleacher Report, said that even though Crosby says he’s back with the Raiders, Las Vegas could still trade him.
“Everybody seems like they’re in a good spot, but since they’ve already looked at trading, they’re open to that possibility, potentially, if the right offer would come,” Fowler said on the show. “We’re looking at timelines here; now is gonna be a little slow, but you get closer to the draft, perhaps trade offers will heat up, or even maybe closer to the season.”
He added, “But right now, he’s a Raider, and that’s expected for at least a little while.” So, if this move were to happen, it may be down the road, but it leaves the door open for the Dallas Cowboys or any other NFL team to still consider trading for him.