Maxx Crosby’s trade day is closer than ever. The Raiders pass rusher has been at the center of the trade storylines for weeks, yet no one knows exactly where he will land. Now, the man who was largely responsible for bringing Crosby to Las Vegas has stepped forward and made his position on the matter crystal clear.

“What I would love for him more than anything is to finish,” Former Raiders General Manager and current Westwood One analyst, Mike Mayock, said on the Rich Eisen show on March 3. “I want him to finish up like Chris Long did. Chris Long played with the Rams for a lot of years and lost a lot of football games. He signed as a free agent with New England, won a Super Bowl. The next year, he signed with Philadelphia and won another Super Bowl.”

The Chris Long comparison mirrors Maxx Crosby’s current situation almost perfectly. Long spent eight long seasons with the Rams, and not once did he reach the playoffs. Then, in 2016, he signed with the Patriots and won Super Bowl LI with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.

The very next season, Long made another leap and signed with the Eagles. He went on to win his second consecutive Super Bowl ring in 2017. Honestly, Long’s role did fade as a starter. But none of that mattered in the end, because he was on the field when it mattered most, playing in the games that define careers. That is exactly what Crosby is chasing right now.

“I think Maxx thirsts for playing in games that matter in January and February. I think that is an all-consuming goal for him, and if it’s with the Raiders, God bless him. But I don’t know where that’s going to be, and if he makes a move, God bless him. I just want him to play in games that matter,” Mayock added.

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Crosby has been the one constant in the Raiders organization that has changed around him repeatedly. He has completed seven full seasons with the franchise. This past season, he recorded 10 sacks, 73 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, and 20 quarterback hits in just 15 games. 

Yet for all that production, Crosby has seen the postseason just once in his entire Raiders career. In the 2021 season, Las Vegas reached the Wild Card round and fell 26-19 to the Bengals. And that has been the extent of Crosby’s January football. 

As Mayock sees it, the player he selected with the 106th overall pick in the 2019 draft has more than earned the right to compete for something bigger. Crosby deserves to be on a roster capable of taking him to the games that truly matter, and judging by the list of teams already circling, Crosby will not be short of options.

Where could Maxx Crosby land in the 2026 season?

Before the 2025 season even concluded, reports began circulating that Maxx Crosby had told Raiders minority owner Tom Brady directly that he would never play for the organization again. Now, an image of Crosby and Brady in what appeared to be a heated exchange in a parking lot went viral, adding fuel to an already raging fire. A trade, at this point, feels less like a possibility and more like a formality. Here is a look at every team currently in the running.

National NFL writer Kyle Odegard posted the latest trade odds from BetOnline, naming eight franchises as the frontrunners for a potential Crosby deal:​

• Washington Commanders +300
• Tennessee Titans +400
• New England Patriots +500
• San Francisco 49ers +600
• Dallas Cowboys +700
• Los Angeles Rams +800
• Philadelphia Eagles +900
• Arizona Cardinals +1000

Of all the teams on that list, the Cowboys have emerged as the hottest name in the conversation. Dallas desperately needs help on the defensive side of the ball, and their recent hire of Brandon Jordan as a pass rush specialist could help tilt the balance in their favor. On top of that, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has publicly signaled that he plans to be aggressive in this free agency.

However, the Cowboys’ recent history raises a fair question about fit. Dallas has not reached a Super Bowl since the 1995 season, and if Crosby’s entire mission is to get to the big stage, then a team still searching for its own playoff identity may not be the right answer. That is precisely why the Patriots have emerged as one of the most intriguing destinations in this race.

New England checks nearly every box Crosby appears to be looking for. Head coach Mike Vrabel has quickly established a winning culture in Foxborough, and the Patriots already reached Super Bowl LX this past season.

Crosby has also publicly expressed his admiration for Vrabel and shares close ties with the head coach. If Crosby joins New England, he would step into a defensive front alongside Harold Landry. But K’Lavon Chaisson is set to hit unrestricted free agency and may not return for another run.

The clock is also ticking from a contractual standpoint. The trade could happen within a week, as Crosby’s $29 million salary for the 2027 season becomes fully guaranteed on the third day of the league year.