Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) speaks during a news conference during organized team activities at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Candice Ward-Imagn Images
The Las Vegas Raiders had quite the eventful offseason. Vegas brought in a pair of new quarterbacks and made some significant additions on defense. But it is the one move the team almost made remains the most fascinating development of the entire offseason.
The Raiders nearly traded superstar Maxx Crosby to the Ravens. But Crosby famously failed his physical, which nixed the entire concept and created a lot of drama. It turns out that the Raiders had more than one suitor looking to get their hands on Crosby.
The Rams were reportedly one team hot on Crosby's tail LA pursued Crosby following the failed Baltimore trade and were considered the strongest club pushing to get a deal done, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
However, before a deal could happen, Crosby made it clear to other teams that he did not want to be traded. Crosby wanted to stay in Vegas, a fact that he openly shared with the organization.
That changes the complexion of Crosby's famous statement following the failed Ravens trade.
“I'm a Raider. I'm back. Run that s—,” Crosby said.
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Ultimately, the Rams ended up getting their guy in Myles Garrett. Still, it is easy to wonder what LA's defense would look like with Crosby instead.
Now Crosby is ready to turn the Raiders into a winning organization. Vegas finally has a bright history with a new head coach, young talent on offense, and a superstar like Crosby on defense. The Raiders may not immediately become a winning team in 2026, but they finally look like they're on the road to recovery.
Crosby is now completely healthy and ready to make an impact during Week 1. It will be fascinating to see how good Crosby looks after recovering from his major knee injury.
Raiders vs. Dolphins kicks off at 4:25PM ET on September 13th.