Raiders trade Maxx Crosby to Ravens: Six big questions

Let’s just say Maxx Crosby knows how to make a lasting impression.

As a defensive end for the Las Vegas Raiders, Crosby went into Baltimore in September 2024 and wreaked havoc in a 26-23 upset win against the Baltimore Ravens. He finished with six tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks, including one in which he looped through the middle and flattened quarterback Lamar Jackson on his back.

The Ravens wanted to bring that ferocious pass rush to Baltimore so badly that they acquired Crosby from the Raiders in exchange for first-round picks in 2026 and 2027, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday night.

Crosby, 28, is a five-time Pro Bowler and will be a game changer for the Ravens. His 69.5 career sacks since 2019 are more than double than what anyone has produced in Baltimore over that span (defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike leads the Ravens with 30 sacks since 2019).

At the NFL combine, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta made it clear that upgrading at edge rusher was a priority for Baltimore this offseason.

“When we look at the best defenses, we see a ferocious pass rush, and that was lacking this year for different reasons,” DeCosta said in February. “It’s something that we feel strongly that we can attack this year in the offseason.”

Now, with Crosby, the Ravens are banking on their defense being in attack mode.

Ravens reporter Jamison Hensley, Raiders reporter Ryan McFadden, national reporter Daniel Graziano and NFL draft analyst Matt Miller answered the pressing questions on why the Raiders traded Crosby — and what the Ravens can gain from taking on the veteran pass rusher. — Hensley

How did it come to this?

Crosby has been the heart and soul of the Raiders’ organization since he was drafted with the 106th pick in 2019. But his relationship with the Raiders had run its course. His consistent on-field production and loyalty to the organization have rarely been rewarded. Sure, the Raiders gave him a record deal last offseason. But Crosby has been yearning to play meaningful games in the postseason, and Las Vegas has failed to do that.

He made just one playoff appearance (in 2021) since being drafted, and that was a first-round exit. The Raiders had five losing seasons, five head coaches and four general managers during that stretch. But the 2025 season was the tipping point. Las Vegas finished with a 3-14 record, and first-year coach Pete Carroll was fired in the offseason. The organization also decided to sit Crosby for the final two weeks of the season, which left him frustrated.

For now, the Raiders appear to be moving in the right direction with new coach Klint Kubiak and the top pick in April’s draft, expected to be quarterback Fernando Mendoza, on the way. Still, Las Vegas is in rebuild mode and has plenty of work to do before being considered a playoff contender. With Crosby turning 29 in August, this was the Raiders’ best chance at receiving a significant trade package for the All-Pro edge rusher. — McFadden

How can the Raiders replace him in the defense?

The Raiders cannot truly replace Crosby. He is one of the best defensive players in the NFL, registering double-digit sacks in three of the past four seasons. However, they have the draft capital to expedite their rebuild.

With the No. 14 pick received in this draft, Las Vegas will have an opportunity to fill a glaring need on offense such as wide receiver or guard. But if the Raiders decide to go with a defensive pick, they could lean toward taking Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor or Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods.

By moving on from Crosby, the Raiders will save $30.69 million in salary cap space, allowing them to be even more aggressive in free agency to fill out a roster with many holes. Las Vegas could target Eagles edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, who has totaled 28 sacks in five seasons. — McFadden

How will Crosby fit in with the Ravens?

Crosby is a perfect fit for Baltimore. There is a saying that is plastered all over the facility: “Play like a Raven,” which means demonstrating passion, a high motor and a love for the game. This describes the mindset of Crosby, who makes plays all over the field and rarely takes a break. He has played in over 94% of the Raiders’ defensive snaps in four straight seasons.

By making such a huge commitment to Crosby in giving up two first-round picks, the Ravens believe he will not only mesh with the defense but lead it. It has been years since Baltimore has made such an investment in an edge rusher. The Ravens have tried to boost their pass rush recently by adding aging players in Justin Houston, Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy. But Baltimore believed it needed to make a bigger splash this offseason after totaling 30 sacks last season, the third fewest in the NFL and the second fewest in franchise history. — Hensley

Does this make the Ravens real contenders in 2026?

The Ravens are banking on it. Crosby can help fix one of their biggest flaws — finishing games. Over the past five seasons, Baltimore has blown an NFL-worst 16 leads in the final five minutes of games, five more than any other team. Last season, the Ravens failed to hold two double-digit leads in the fourth quarter, which is a big reason they went from being the preseason Super Bowl favorites to not making the postseason.

The Ravens were at their best defensively when they had playmakers such as Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Terrell Suggs closing out games. Crosby has a track record of stepping up late in games. His 22.5 sacks in the fourth quarter are tied for the fourth most in the NFL since 2019. Over the past seven seasons, he has also recorded a league-best 17 tackles for loss in the final five minutes of games.

Baltimore has established leaders in Kyle Hamilton in the secondary and Roquan Smith in the middle. But the Ravens lacked someone to take charge coming off the edge. Last season, Baltimore didn’t have an edge rusher who produced more than 4.5 sacks. This will likely change with Crosby, who had four sacks in the fourth quarter alone last year. — Hensley

What might the Raiders do with the extra 2026 first-round pick they received from the Ravens?

With pick No. 14, the Raiders are in position to add help at one of the many weak spots on the roster. The natural inclination would be to draft a wide receiver to pair with Mendoza, whom the Raiders are expected to take at No. 1. Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson is the type of big-bodied winner of 50-50 passes who would be a good value in the middle of Round 1. Or the Raiders could reunite Mendoza with a former Indiana teammate, receiver Omar Cooper Jr., who is on the rise.

Other needs include cornerback and linebacker — and now edge rusher. At No. 14, there should be starter-level options at all of those positions for general manager John Spytek. — Miller

Crosby was signed to a record three-year, $106.5 million contract extension last March. What are the cap implications for the Raiders and Ravens?

Because the Raiders eschew signing bonuses to avoid dead money, trading Crosby doesn’t hurt them much in terms of cap cost. They’ll take on a little more than $5 million in dead money as a result of the little bonus proration that was left on the deal, which means they’ll save about $25.7 million against this year’s cap after trading him.

The Ravens, meanwhile, will take on Crosby’s $30 million salary for 2026 and his $29 million salary for 2027. His cap number for Baltimore this season should be $30.695 million. — Graziano