Maxx Crosby
Getty
NFL insider Albert Breer argued that if the Raiders deal Maxx Crosby, it will probably come close to the NFL trade deadline.
The Buffalo Bills made a strong bid for edge rusher Maxx Crosby before his temporary and ultimately failed trade to the Baltimore Ravens, and one analyst believes they will lose out on the next round as well.
The Las Vegas Raiders reportedly rebuffed the bid from the Bills because their first-round pick was too low, then took Crosby off the market after the trade with the Ravens fell apart. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell believes the Raiders will try again during the upcoming NFL draft, with the Bills once again losing out.
Bills Fall Short on Maxx Crosby Again
In an all-trade prediction of the draft’s first round, Barnwell predicted the Raiders would deal Crosby to the Philadelphia Eagles. Barnwell suggested that Crosby’s reunion with the Raiders will turn out to be short-lived.
“Though Crosby is saying that he wants to move forward with the only pro organization he has ever known after his trade to the Ravens fell through, the same logic that led the Raiders to initially deal Crosby to Baltimore still holds,” Barnwell wrote. “Vegas doesn’t appear to be close to seriously contending. Crosby turns 29 in August. He wants to win, ideally sooner rather than later. That might happen in Vegas, but by the time it does, Crosby could be well past his peak.”
It’s not clear if the Bills would make another run at Crosby if he does hit the trade block, but it could be difficult for them to match Barnwell’s proposed price. He suggested the Eagles would send their first-round pick and a third-rounder next year, adding promising young edge rusher Nolan Smith Jr.
If the Raiders want a young edge rusher to replace Crosby and fuel their rebuild, the Bills would be hard-pressed to find one as promising as Smith.
Bills May Not Be Interested
The Bills have already made an addition to their pass-rushing group after losing out on Crosby, signing veteran Bradley Chubb.
As the team noted after announcing his signing, Chubb is coming off a productive season with the Miami Dolphins.
“Chubb, 29, is coming off an 8.5 sack season with the Miami Dolphins, also recording 47 tackles, 20 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles,” the team noted. “Since coming into the league in 2017 as the fifth overall pick, Chubb has recorded 48 career sacks, 112 QB hits, 53 TFL and 15 forced fumbles.”
Jeffri Chadiha of NFL.com noted that the Bills have struggled to generate consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks, especially in the playoffs. The team also had difficulties in stopping the run, but new head coach Joe Brady is hoping to change as the team moves to a more aggressive approach under defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.
“The Bills have been plagued by poor defensive efforts in every one of its playoff losses dating back to the 2020 season,” added Chadiha. “An inconsistent pass rush has been an ongoing problem for this team, but this past year, Buffalo became inept at stopping the run, as it finished 28th in the league in rushing yards allowed. Brady is hoping to change those numbers with the hiring of new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.”