Maxx Crosby is believed to be ahead of schedule in his recovery from knee surgery in January but is he in the Raiders’ long-term plans after the team nearly traded him in March?
To date, every public indication is that Crosby, who turns 29 in August, is in a better place with the Raiders than he was at the end of the season.
League insider Jason La Canfora said he was told by an NFL GM that the “ship had sailed” on Crosby potentially being traded and the All-Pro edge rusher believes he is in line for a “monster season.”
“Despite the Ravens scuttling a blockbuster trade for All-Pro edge defender Maxx Crosby at the start of the offseason amid health concerns, the Raiders continue to be pleased with the gains Crosby is making after a knee procedure, and expectations remain very high for his 2026 season,” league insider Jason La Canfora reported last week.
“Crosby is working out on his own and not taking part in Las Vegas’s offseason practices, but league sources said he continues to throw himself into his recovery and make significant strides,” La Canfora continued.
“Crosby has told friends around the league he is as fired up as ever to have a monster season in the public fallout of the Ravens bailing on an agreed-upon trade, and he was never going to be fully cleared for football activities in time for the start of May Organized Team Activity practices.”
“Crosby originally requested the trade after the Raiders opted not to play him late last season, as they essentially tanked for the highest draft pick possible. However, he recommitted to the team after the Ravens trade fell apart, and multiple general managers over the last few weeks have said that in their minds, Crosby is going to be a Raider in 2026.”
Have the sides REALLY mended fences or is everyone making the best of the situation after Crosby’s trade value crashed in March?
Raider Nation Radio host Q Myers said in April he believes Crosby’s value will spike again at the trade deadline, and not everyone is convinced Crosby and the team are as gratified as they have been letting on.
For better or worse, the Raiders are in rebuild mode and Crosby’s career window isn’t growing. Additionally, there is no guarantee his knee issues aren’t going to become chronic.
“I talked to one doctor who’s very heavy into the injury data who said meniscus repairs have a 50 percent failure rate after one year, 80 percent failure rate after four years based upon their data,” NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported in March. “That doesn’t mean the knee falls apart. It’s not like a failed ACL reconstruction, but basically it means you’re going to have less healthy cartilage in your knee. Your body cannot generate new healthy cartilage.”
There are scenarios where Crosby will stay with the Raiders beyond the November 4 trade deadline, but the more likely scenario is that the Raiders will see what they can get for Crosby before the deadline and take the best offer they can get.
And for now, let’s go on record saying the Rams and Bears should be considered the two most likely candidates to pick him up in a trade.
x: @raidersbeat