Based on everything that’s been reported on Maxx Crosby in the last week, it doesn’t sound like the Raiders are going to trade their All-Pro pass rusher prior to the NFL’s November 4 trade deadline.
Raiders’ owner Mark Davis has said Crosby isn’t going anywhere and several national reports have shared a similar message.
But as NBC Sports’ Mike Florio pointed out last week, teams deny trade rumors all the time, and one of the ways to get maximum return on a player is to put out the message that the player isn’t available.
If the Raiders were willing to trade Crosby, they benefit from interested teams believing it would take an offer they couldn’t refuse.
“NFL media reported last night that the Raiders told Crosby, we’re not shopping you and we won’t be trading you. And also they reported that Crosby wants to stay. I don’t know that I believe the last part.” Florio said on PFT Live on Wednesday of last week.
“We’ve seen this before. We know how it goes. You don’t get maximum value for a player if you tell the world we want to trade the player. You have to be coy. You have to create a market. You have to maximize through negotiation what you get. That’s what we’re thinking. I’m thinking it’s possible. I’m not saying it will happen. I just don’t believe the denial. I don’t think he’s an untouchable player.”
As it turns out, Florio isn’t alone and Yahoo NFL insider Charles Robinson reported on Thursday in a way that it sounds like door might not be completely shut on a Crosby trade…
“Crosby may be the most interesting [trade situation], with Vegas’ interests in clear conflict. On one hand, the 2-5 squad has less than a 1 percent chance to make the playoffs, per ESPN’s playoff predictor, amid a talented AFC West that likely features at least two playoff teams in the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos. On the other hand, Pete Carroll is 74 years old. Will he and the club want to stomach a long rebuild if they trade away their game-wrecker?
“I think their whole issue this year is you wanted someone with gravitas and experience,” an NFC executive, “but you’re in a rebuilding phase and not in a competing phase.”
An NFC talent evaluator from another team didn’t think the door was closed.
“I still think for the right price, Crosby could be on the move,” the evaluator said. “First and a pick swap, most likely.”
It would be interesting to know what “talent evaluator” thinks Crosby might still be traded because the cost of a first-round pick and a pick swap is remarkably cheap for a player like Crosby.
Prior to this season, there had been mutterings that the Raiders have been offered as much as two first-round picks for Crosby.
Just 10 months ago, Crosby sounds like a player who was ready to leave the Raiders, but it has been reported in the last week that he doesn’t want to be traded.
Crosby talked to Jim Gray this week on the Let’s Go! podcast and he sound upbeat, but he didn’t exactly use the opportunity to drop a bomb on the trade rumors.
“I really try to block out all the noise, rumors and things of that nature I can’t control. It’s just a waste of time and energy when it comes to that. Walking through the facility and I see it all over the TVs with teammates around and stuff. It’s awkward, stuff like that. I’m focused on now and where my feet are at and focused on winning.
That’s all I want to do is win and get this team to where we need to get it. And it’s not there, at the moment, but we have another opportunity coming up here. We have an opportunity every day to get better, so it’s got to be everyone. For me, like I said, there’s no comfortability. All my focus is on being the best version of myself, whether that’s on the field and off of it, and bringing this team to where we need to get it. That’s all I care about.”
As it’s been pointed out on several occasions, the Raiders and Crosby agreed to a deal in the offseason that definitely leaves the door open for him to be dealt – even as soon as this year.
The OverTheCap graphic (below) shows the dead money consequence on the Raiders and future cap savings if Crosby is traded ahead of June 1.
It’s rare that a $30+ million per year contract comes with so much flexibility, particularly this early in the deal.
x: @raidersbeat