In an almost unprecedented turn of events, Maxx Crosby found his way back to the Las Vegas Raiders. The Baltimore Ravens backed out of the trade, citing concerns about a failed physical.
Crosby has moved on and looks happy to be back in Sin City. However, Sports Illustrated insider Albert Breer believes this saga is far from over.
Talking to Conor Orr on “The MMQB NFL Podcast,” Breer argued that the Raiders could still move Crosby this season, provided that he plays well and shakes off the injury concerns:
"If he's going to be traded, I think it's going to have to come after Maxx Crosby gets back on the field and plays really well, so people will forget about everything that just happened," Breer said. "That way, it becomes a little easier when it comes to managing your owners and your fan base. It also makes it easier to go out and trade for him again."
Of course, it’s not like the Raiders are obliged to trade him. He didn’t publicly request a trade, and they may not have much of an incentive to trade him at a discount after his failed physical.
More than that, Breer believes that even if he’s not a part of their long-term plans, having him there to help set the tone and build a winning culture in the early days of the Klint Kubiak era can also be good for the Raiders:
"That's not a bad place for the Raiders to be, either. When you look at where they are, it's like, ‘OK, Maxx is going to help build a culture,' and they'll move forward as if he's part of the team," he added.
Multiple teams will probably still be interested in trading for the superstar pass rusher if he becomes available at some point. As for giving up two first-round picks after the trade blunder, that might be a different story. If he doesn’t play well or other teams aren’t willing to meet their steep price tag, they might not trade him at all.
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