Maxx Crosby
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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 07: Maxx Crosby #98 of the Las Vegas Raiders warms up during the NFL Preseason 2025 game between Las Vegas Raiders and Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on August 07, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
There are people out there who believe the Baltimore Ravens backed out of the Maxx Crosby trade, not because of a failed physical, but because the Ravens found better value in signing DE Trey Hendrickson.
It’s a fair assumption, but according to former Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro tackle Mitchell Schwartz, that’s not the case.
Raiders’ Maxx Crosby Gets Support From Ex-Chiefs All-Pro Amid Trey Hendrickson Debate
In response to the question “Do you agree that the Ravens just saw a much better deal and dropped Maxx on purpose,” Schwartz had this to say.
“No. Hendrickson isn’t a better deal. Maxx is the better football player. Could they have gotten cold feet at the asking price, maybe. But also physicals fail somewhat regularly. If they didn’t think they could get 3 good, healthy years out of his knee then it’s their prerogative to fail the physical.”
According to Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta, he wanted to sign Hendrickson, regardless of whether they traded for Crosby or not.
Schwartz was then asked by someone else, “When you say better player, can you give context? Trey is obviously a better pass rusher but Maxx is more well rounded. Thanks,” to which Schwartz responded with, “I don’t think Trey is a better pass rusher. If you give Maxx Trey’s snaps and ability to only care about pass rush then his stats would look better. Maxx is held back in the stats by how hard he plays run and pass, and how many snaps he takes. If he was more selfish with his play style and taking more breaks I think you’d think differently.”
Crazy to see a player from a team like the Chiefs come to the defense of Crosby, but he makes a good point.
No. Hendrickson isn’t a better deal. Maxx is the better football player. Could they have gotten cold feet at the asking price, maybe. But also physicals fail somewhat regularly. If they didn’t think they could get 3 good, healthy years out of his knee then it’s their prerogative… https://t.co/0paDSRBfoX
— Mitchell Schwartz (@MitchSchwartz71) April 3, 2026
Crosby: ‘Energy Was Off’ When Meeting Ravens
Crosby is glad to be back with the Raiders after revealing that the “energy was off” when initially meeting with the Ravens staff during the whole trade saga.
“At the end they’re like, ‘Yeah, I’ll take you up.’ Joe was like, ‘I’ll take you up and you go see the head coach.’ I was like, ‘Hell yeah.’ I was like, ‘That’s what, you know, I want to say what’s up to him.’ So, I went back up and I dap him up and I can just tell the energy was a little bit off and the GM was standing like the hall like in the room next to me to the right and that was the first time I seen him. And you know, I’m just in my head like this is a whirlwind. Like I’m so excited, like fired up, you know what I mean? Like this is a new opportunity. And you can just tell the energy was off. Like I dapped him up. He had like a blank face. And I’m like, ‘Okay.’ I’m not thinking anything of it. Maybe he’s just different.”
It was definitely one of the more unique situations that has happened in the NFL, but that’s in the past. Crosby is still a Raider, and big things are in store for him next season.