Maxx Crosby’s trade from the Las Vegas Raiders never felt right. Once in Baltimore, he learned that himself. After a flight to Washington, DC, followed by a ride to the Ravens’ facility, he only got to realize that general manager Eric DeCosta, who signed off on the trade, didn’t even meet him for five hours. Crosby’s interaction with the new head coach, Jesse Minter, also felt off. Within 24 hours, the trade fell off as the defensive edge failed his physical.

Of course, his return to Las Vegas was a bright spot despite the entire saga possibly nudging down his league value. For all Crosby cared, though, it was all good riddance, as revealed by fellow NFL defenseman Cam Heyward.

“He [Maxx Crosby] was like, ‘f—- those dudes. I’m staying and f—— with the Raiders,'” Heyward revealed on the Not Just Football podcast. “And I was like, ‘Alright, I can respect that.'”

What Crosby told Heyward captures the frustration that ran underneath the entire saga. Crosby wanted out of Las Vegas for a long time, with the frustrations first surfacing in 2024 as the team continued to lose games. It reached a boiling point on December 27 when he was put on injury reserve, stopping him from playing the final two games of the season. As he stomped off the training facility, he pledged he would never play for the silver and black again. Owner Mark Davis still had some hope, though.

After giving him time to cool off, Davis went to Crosby’s house to talk it over. He had hoped that the DE who had been loyal to the shield would return to them. Instead, the two shook their hands, agreeing that going their separate ways was the best idea for now.

The team found a new home for Crosby, but it came with a condition: pass the physical and you’re all done. Crosby participated and failed. The Raiders cannot question the authenticity of that physical, but they now know what the next step is. So does Crosby.

“No one will ever admit what the real truth is. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter. I am where I’m supposed to be,” Crosby said on an episode of The Rush podcast. “I’m here. I’m meant to be a Raider. In this for life, until that changes, which I don’t foresee, but you never know.”

To understand why it stings, let’s go back to March 6. The Raiders agreed to trade Crosby to the Ravens in exchange for two first-round picks: one in 2026 and one in 2027. It was a massive deal for Baltimore, marking the first time in franchise history that the Ravens traded away first-round picks to acquire a veteran player. But they knew what was on the line.

The Ravens are also counting days to when their franchise quarterback, Lamar Jackson, might finally ask for a trade after never playing in the big one. And Crosby could’ve helped. At the same time, it felt like a fresh start for Crosby.

He took to social media almost immediately, posting updates for his fans and letting them know he had arrived in Baltimore.

“I know there’s no guarantees in this,” Crosby said in a video posted on his social media. “But I’m going to give everything in my heart and soul to bring a championship to Baltimore. There are no more words needed for that. I’m so excited. I cannot wait to get out to the city and meet everybody.”

All that was left was the physical, a routine formality, or so everyone assumed. The Raiders confirmed the failed agreement on March 10 with no comments to add. Just like that, the deal was dead. For now, he remains a Raider, but that does not mean the trade speculation has gone away entirely.

The injury blew up the Ravens trade, but not the trade rumors for Maxx Crosby

Everything that unraveled in Baltimore traces back to one thing: Maxx Crosby’s left knee. In Week 7 of the last season, Crosby suffered a left knee injury against the Chiefs. Still, he refused to come off the field.

He played through the pain for the remainder of the season, piling up stats while managing a torn meniscus. He was ready to go all the way to Week 18, but the Raiders made the call for him. That decision effectively ended whatever trust remained between Crosby and the organization.

He read it as the franchise protecting their draft positioning over his career. Of course, that decision ensured the Raiders got the first overall pick, where they are going to select their possible franchise quarterback, Fernando Mendoza. And now, that same knee injury had just ruined the biggest trade of the offseason.

But Crosby’s agent, CJ LaBoy, was quick to push back on any suggestion that his client’s knee was in serious jeopardy.

“Maxx continues to be on track in his recovery and if anything is ahead of schedule, according to his surgeon Dr. Neal El Attrache,” agent CJ LaBoy said in his statement on X. “Maxx remains on track to return during the offseason program & will undoubtedly return as the dominant game wrecker he has been these past 7 seasons.”

Las Vegas has welcomed Crosby back with open arms, and Crosby himself has publicly committed to the Raiders. But it hard to accept that those deep knots in the relationship have untied in just a matter of days. The Raiders could still move him if the right offer lands on their desk.

“If the Raiders are gonna go trade him today, I think his value would be 80 cents on the dollar,” ESPN insider Adam Schefter said.

“All the factors that are out there make it less likely that Maxx Crosby would be traded. And most important, we have Maxx Crosby professing love to the Raiders and saying that he wants to be back there. So it’s almost like these two have gone to some chapel in Las Vegas to renew their vows.”

According to Schefter, the Chicago Bears are among the teams that could come calling for Crosby. The Raiders are not shopping him, but the right price has a way of changing the conversation fast.