Last week, reports said Maxx Crosby was virtually unblockable during one-on-one drills in training camp, and every indication has been that Crosby is back to full strength with two weeks remaining until the season opener.
Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter said Crosby has been “on a mission” to prove his doubters wrong, and NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger made the case on Tuesday for the 49ers to trade for Crosby, adding that Crosby was the most dynamic player at the NFL Sack Summit that took place a month ago.
“You’re in an arms race with the Rams right now,” Baldinger said on 95.7 The Game of the 49ers.
“This is a military arms race trying to keep up. I don’t know that Maxx Crosby is available or could be had. I have no idea. All I know is I was at the Sack Summit out in Las Vegas a month ago, and nobody could beat him off the line of scrimmage. Everybody challenged him. Jared Verse, pick a guy that was out there. Nobody could beat him off the ball. Nobody. He won it.”
“I know Baltimore basically said that this knee is shot. I don’t see it now; I failed a physical coming in after my sixth year, failed a physical and played six more years. They said my knee was shot. Everybody evaluates these things differently. But I feel like if you had a chance to get Maxx Crosby, he becomes your best defensive player immediately.”
If there were any doubts about Crosby’s knee going into the season, it’s no small story that he was standing out among some the best pass rushers in the league a full month ago.
For now, it doesn’t sound the Raiders or Crosby are interested in talking about a trade, but if he’s playing as well as reports are saying, there’s a chance the Raiders will be offered another deal in line with what the Ravens were offering before they changed their mind.
If the Raiders consider trading Crosby again, the 49ers and several other NFC contenders (trying to keep up with the Rams) would be foolish to not take their best shot at trading for Crosby.
x: @raidersbeat