Maxx Crosby.
Getty
The never-ending Maxx Crosby trade is getting another update, and this one is good news for the Dallas Cowboys.
It seems as though the Detroit Lions took themselves out of the running to land Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby, a Michigan native who attended college locally at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, and has gone on to become one of the top players at his position in all of football since he was selected by the Raiders in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
But until Crosby’s situation with the Raiders is fully figured out, there remains speculation that he could be on the move after a trade with the Baltimore Ravens ultimately fell through because of their reservations over the long-term prognosis of his knee.
While it could still be considered a Hail Mary, is there any outside shot that the Lions could land Crosby?
Could The Detroit Lions Still Land Maxx Crosby?
Author Matt Levine of The Wrightway Sports Network believes there is still a realistic avenue for the Lions to make a massive splash by bringing Crosby aboard.
“If the Lions truly want to make a splashy move this offseason, going after Crosby makes the most sense,” he wrote. “Even if it will cost the Lions a first-round draft pick, it’s more than worth it due to his pure production.”
Levine continued by referencing the dynamic tandem that Crosby would form with star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson.
“Pairing him with Aidan Hutchison would give the Lions one of the better pass rush duos in the NFL,” he said. “If this were to happen, opposing teams could no longer double-team either of them, potentially opening the door for more impact on defense.”
He finished with:
“Crosby also would fit in very well with the tough, gritty mindset that is set by Lions head coach Dan Campbell. Campbell loves the trenches out on the field, and Crosby embraces this same type of mindset every snap that he takes.”
It may still seem like a pipe dream, but some choose to never say it’s over until it’s truly over.
Rod Wood Said The Lions Were Never In The Running To Land Maxx Crosby
Lions team president Rod Wood was asked by beat writer Dave Birkett late last month about the realistic chances of pursuing Crosby, only to respond that they were never in the mix.
“Even doing that, it still would have been a difficult situation over the next two years with cash, so we just never were in the game for that, I’ll be honest with you,” he said.
“When we’re looking at our cash and cap budget, we’re looking at it as is and as it will be with those guys knowing that we want to keep many of them, all of them if we can.”
“So if we had gone out and done the biggest – let’s say we did the Maxx Crosby trade or the Trey Hendrickson signing, that probably would have meant, which one of these guys are we going to let go?”
“I can see why that could be interpreted that way, but to me sustainability means that we’re going to be able to compete for championships over a long period of time. Not that we’re going to try and be pretty good for a long period of time.”