Maxx Crosby
Getty
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - AUGUST 23: Defensive end Maxx Crosby #98 of the Las Vegas Raiders reacts after a tackle against the Arizona Cardinals during first half of the NFL preseason 2025 game at State Farm Stadium on August 23, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Las Vegas Raiders are entering a new era and could ramp up the rebuild and pair star pass rusher Maxx Crosby with disgruntled New York Giants superstar defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, who requested a trade on April 6th.
“Lawrence and the Giants have been through two off seasons attempting to negotiate a contract reflecting his value to the Giants over the last three years, but there has not been any progress,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote.
Lawrence, who’ll be 29 by the time next season rolls around, is one of, if not the top defensive tackle in the NFL who’s racked up 341 total tackles, 30.5 sacks, and five forced fumbles since 2019.
And NFL.com’s Kevin Patra believes the Raiders should go “all-in” and pair Crosby with Lawrence this offseason.
Raiders Urged to Pair Maxx Crosby With Disgruntled Giants DT Dexter Lawrence
Dexter Lawrence
GettyDexter Lawrence II #97 of the New York Giants celebrates after sacking Sam Darnold #14 of the Minnesota Vikings.
Patra added more context on why he believes the Raiders are a good destination for Dexter Lawrence.
“Las Vegas appeared poised for a full-on reboot before the Maxx Crosby trade fell through. The pass-rusher remaining a Raider, coupled with the spending spree in free agency, why not go all-in on a quicker rebuild? Vegas has a glaring need in the middle. Pairing Lawrence and Crosby would be a headache for opposing offenses. Even after their big spending, the Raiders still have the money to play with and give the DT a raise and enough draft capital to pry Lawrence away while still filling other holes. In a league that prides itself on quick turnarounds, Vegas could go all-in on giving its new coaching staff under Klint Kubiak the best chance to succeed in 2026 while breaking in a rookie quarterback.”
Let’s add even more context to a potential trade for Lawrence. According to SNY’s Connor Hughes, Lawrence wants to get paid around $30 million per year.
Las Vegas, on the other hand, only has $23.2 million in available cap space, according to OvertheCap.com. Factoring in that the Raiders need around $15 million for the incoming draft class, Las Vegas would need to make some restructures or cuts to make a trade for Lawrence work.
Connor Hughes
What might the #Giants get back in a Dexter Lawrence trade?
A lot, even after a down year.
If Not Lawrence, How Can the Raiders Address the Defensive Tackle Position?
Lawrence is by far a better defensive tackle than any of the incoming options from college. That said, those defensive tackle options during the draft are way cheaper and don’t cost the premium draft capital that trading for Lawrence would.
ESPN draft analysts Matt Miller and Jordan Reid pinned wide receiver and right tackle as the likely options for the Raiders in Round 2, so let’s say they are right and the Raiders don’t draft a defensive tackle until the third round. Some options can include the following via The Athletic’s issue of The Beast by Dane Brugler:
Lee Hunter, Texas Tech: 2nd-3rd round grade (6’4″, 318-lbs)
Dominique Orange, Iowa State: 2nd-3rd rd. grade (6’3″, 322-lbs)
Tyler Onyedim, Texas A&M: 3rd rd. grade (6’4″, 292-lbs)
Chris McClellan, Missouri: 3rd-4th rd. grade (6’6″, 313-lbs)
Regardless if the Raiders trade for Lawrence or not, they need to add to the defensive tackle room, especially since Las Vegas is switching from a 4-3 base defense to 3-4, where the DT position becomes more of a focal point of the defense.
It’s fun to envision watching Lawrence and Crosby on the same defense, but the chances of Las Vegas actually being able to make a trade seem hard to fathom at the moment.