One NFL insider predicts that the market for Las Vegas Raiders pass-rusher Maxx Crosby will reignite as the trade deadline approaches, making the Detroit Lions one of the few NFC clubs that might be on the cusp of true Super Bowl contention with just one blockbuster move.
With the trade deadline approaching, one NFL insider anticipates that the market for Las Vegas Raiders pass-rusher Maxx Crosby will reignite. The Detroit Lions are one of the few NFC teams that could be a single big move away from true Super Bowl contention.
Maxx Crosby is definitely not forcing his way out, has no desire to leave, and wants to be a Raider, Pelissero stated. However, the prospect of a new blockbuster remains open, as GM John Spytek is likely to receive calls over the following ten days.
Whether the Raiders really trade Maxx Crosby may be determined by his actual trade worth.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby.
In March, the Ravens and the Raiders planned to exchange Crosby, who is now 29, for two first-round selections. But a failed physical prevented that agreement from going through. It’s improbable that he could still demand such a return today.
Although his traditional statistical production has decreased this season, Crosby is still gifted. He has recorded one forced fumble, one pass breakup, two sacks, three tackles for loss, and 16 QB hits in seven games this season. According to Pro Football Network, his player impact score places him 26th out of 122 qualified edge defenders in the league.
It doesn’t aid any club that wants Crosby that the Chicago Bears just gave up two first-round picks, plus a little extra, for defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. Along with leveraging the bids of other teams to raise trade revenues, the Raiders may exploit that truth to raise Crosby’s price.
Crosby appears to be a good player in 2026, dropping from genuinely elite, while Simmons is the top-rated DT in a number of traditional and advanced metrics. After signing a three-year extension valued $106. 5 million, he is now under contract until 2029.
If one first-round selection is all the Raiders (3-4) can get, they may be unwilling to part with Crosby, since a victory against the New York Jets this weekend would put them back to . 500 with one game left before the trade deadline.
Backend of Defense Getting Healthier for Lions
Detroit’s defense is improving, but the return of Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph’s development are likely insufficient to change what has been the worst defense in the NFL through seven weeks in terms of total yardage allowed.
The Lions won’t receive any more support before Sunday’s home match against the Minnesota Vikings, the league’s last undefeated club. But in Detroit, it makes sense to add a pass-rusher for the stretch run.
Aidan Hutchinson and Crosby working together would go a long way toward solving the Lions’ secondary problems by accelerating, improving, and overall increasing the pass rush, especially when the defense only sends four players to pursue the quarterback.
