The Raiders are no strangers to a little offseason drama, and this year has been no different with the many twists and turns of the Maxx Crosby trade that never ended up happening.
There were plenty of rumors around Crosby in the last few months that weren’t factually correct (the Raiders did, after all, agree to trade him), but many stories were probably made up – or in some cases floated by reporters doing favors for their sources.
Among the media personalities who might have been doing their sources a favor or two on the Crosby situation was The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
As the world learned on Tuesday, Russini and Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel aren’t strangers to one other, and it’s fair to question some of the commentary from Russini on Crosby and the Patriots in the last few months.
Just two months ago, it was Russini who made one of the strongest statements on Crosby’s interest in joining the Patriots.
“Crosby once told me he’d love to play for Mike Vrabel, and it’s easy to see why they’d be a good match,” Russini said in February. “The reality is, if Crosby does become available, the Patriots would be just one of many interested teams. It’s unclear how this will play out, but I’m increasingly skeptical he’ll play a down for Kubiak.”
Given what we know now about Russini’s relationship with Vrabel (they are obviously close), was she reporting on Crosby or was she reporting on what the Patriots wanted in the news about Crosby?
It’s no secret that the Patriots were interested in Crosby, as someone within the organization leaked to New England media that the Patriots were frustrated with the Raiders’ unwillingness to move from their asking price.
“Are the Raiders actually willing to play ball? That is the question on the minds of Patriots’ decision-makers,” Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald reported in February.
“League sources don’t believe the Raiders are serious about trading Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby, so negotiations could very well drag into the draft this April,” Callahan continued. “Acquiring Crosby nonetheless feels more realistic than trading for Brown at this time, per one team source, who believes a first-round pick and other lesser assets, including one of the Patriots’ two fourth-round picks, would be fair compensation. The Raiders are reportedly seeking two first-round picks and a player.”
Vrabel and Russini have each issued statements denying any form of inappropriate relationship, but it’s hard to believe Russini has been objective with anything Patriot-related based on the images released on Tuesday.
Sooner or later, the truth tends to come to the surface, and it will be interesting to see if Vrabel and Russini are pressed to make another statement on the nature of their relationship at some point down the road.
x: @raidersbeat
Wait, I’m pretty sure I heard Vrabel was into black men?
What’s wrong with Vrabel and Russini getting together for a game of cornhole followed by an in-an-out “burger.”
You simply lose credibility every time you talk about the Pats.
In any case, they can try as hard as they want to manipulate the facts in their favor, Brady will never trade the Raiders’ best player to the Pats, much less below two primes, which in the Pats’ case would be the 31st, not a mid-round prime like the Ravens.