NFL Insider Jason La Canfora: Maxx Crosby Trade Price Revealed as Raiders Face Deadline Dilemma

The Las Vegas Raiders are one of the NFL’s most interesting teams now less than two weeks from the trade deadline. They already agreed to deal their best player, one of the all-time greats in this iconic franchise, edge defender Maxx Crosby, in March. But then the Ravens reneged on their word and hid behind a medical determination for doing so, which GMs around the league knew was laughable. Crosby is playing nearly every snap for the Raiders and wants to play every snap. The Raiders drafted quarterback Fernando Mendoza first overall in what is a rebuilding situation, but are also trying to instill a winning mentality under rookie coach Klint Kubiak. And with veteran Kirk Cousins pushing for the NFL lead in touchdown passes, it makes sense to stick with him for now. They were the surprise team in the NFL, winning their first three games and nearly knocked off the mighty Chiefs. But after a brutal stretch of games, they now sit at 3-4. However, the schedule is lightening up, with the lowly Jets up next. For a team struggling to establish a home-field advantage with Vegas being a Mecca for visiting fans, wins matter. Getting players to believe the city is behind them matters too. So, um, what should the Raiders do? How do they navigate the next few weeks knowing they are not yet close to competing in the playoffs, and with draft capital potential gold in this league and Crosby highly attractive to contending teams? How much does maintaining a semblance of a competitive product matter if several of those players will likely be gone by the time the Raiders can make noise in January? It’s a lot to sort through. Minority owner Tom Brady is highly involved in these macro-level, philosophical conversations according to league sources. We reached out to a number of longtime NFL personnel executives and former general managers and individuals who have made these sorts of decisions themselves – as a buyer and a seller at the deadline – to determine what they think the Raiders will do, and what they should do. Raiders Unlikely to Accept Less Than Two First-Round Picks for Maxx Crosby The Raiders have already established a potential price for Crosby, having agreed to send him to Baltimore for two first-round picks before the Ravens backed out of the deal in March. And according to one current NFL general manager, Las Vegas is unlikely to accept anything less. “They set the price already, really, didn’t they? They had two ones (two first round picks) from (Ravens GM Eric) DeCosta. So you can’t really act like he’s not available now,” the GM said. “I don’t think they take less than that. I’m not sure someone offers that; that was a reach by Baltimore … But he’s still a dominant player. The knee isn’t holding him back.” The GM also noted that the team that is offering the picks could be the determining factor. For instance, trading Crosby to a hated rival like the Chiefs is probably too bitter a pill to swallow. Getting two first-round picks from a team like the Cowboys – who could finish outside the playoffs in both years, thus making the picks higher in the draft – would probably pique the Raiders’ interest. A longtime NFL personnel executive who has watched Crosby’s 2026 film and who knows several people around the league who are mulling making a bid for Crosby, believes it would be silly for the Raiders not to make a similar trade now to the one they were willing to make with Baltimore in March. “He’s the same guy he’s always been on film. No issues with the medical. If they can get two ones for him, they have to take it. I would … But I kind of doubt they get that.” Could the Cowboys Tempt the Raiders Into a Crosby Trade? A former general manager who is still well-connected in the league and takes on special projects for execs in the league and evaluates players said, based off what he sees of Crosby, and how bad the Raiders have been for so long, he’d prefer to try to build a winner around Crosby. Given Crosby’s performances and the franchise’s long history of struggles, the former GM would prefer to see the Raiders trade other players, and get ownership to make another significant free-agent investment. The team already showed willingness to spend last year, landing center Tyler Linderbaum on what amounts to a fully guaranteed three year deal. “You know me, I’m against getting rid of difference makers,” the former GM said. “After all that bullshit this offseason, I would keep him.” There is also the matter of what Crosby brings to a locker room and the standard he sets in terms of effort and performance and leadership. It’s hard to win in this league without your highest-paid players being your most diligent and caring. And what Crosby does in the cafeteria at 6 am and in the weight room at 6:30 am and in the meeting rooms after sundown isn’t always the norm. We are talking about a franchise with one winning season since 2016 and two since 2003. Having Crosby around to show a young roster the way carries real value. Marvin Lewis Reveals Crosby’s Relentless Work Ethic and Daily Routine Longtime former NFL head coach Marvin Lewis, who served as an assistant head coach in Las Vegas in 2024, saw Crosby’s commitment up close in a way few others have. Lewis, who spent decades running NFL defenses and continues to watch film daily as he prepares to broadcast games on nationally syndicated radio, described Crosby as a unique talent whose intensity carries over into practice. “He’s special because he impacts practice the same way (he impacts a game),” Lewis explained. “He’s never been housebroken. I was like, bro, ‘You can’t touch the quarterback. You can’t touch the quarterback!’ He just has to touch the quarterback. It’s just, he is special.” Lewis recalled how, even before joining the Raiders’ coaching staff, he could see something special about the team’s most influential players. After being granted remote access to watch practices, Lewis contacted then-coach Antonio Pierce with an obversation. “I called him that evening and said, ‘Your three best players, you’re in a good situation. Your three best players practice the hardest.’ And that was Maxx Crosby, (running back) Josh Jacobs and (receiver) Davante Adams. And so you have three great pros showing everybody else how to do it.” But it was Crosby’s unwavering daily routine that particularly stood out. “And Maxx, you can set your watch by it … I would come in from my walk at 6 a.m., walk in the dining room to get my smoothie. (Tight end) Brock (Bowers) is sitting there having breakfast. I look across the room, in comes No. 98 (Crosby), it’s 6:05.” “And you can look out the window at 6 p.m. His truck’s still there. So full day every day. You could set your watch to it.” Lewis even joked with Crosby about just how predictable his routine had become. “I told Max once, I said, ‘You know, you’d be easy to assassinate. Because everybody knows where you are.’ Every day is the same.” Given all of that, taking less than the Ravens price would seem a little odd now. And the case for keeping Crosby, regardless, clearly resonates as well. Should the Raiders Trade Maxx Crosby Before the Deadline? Given all of that, taking less than the Ravens’ original offer of two first-round picks would seem a little odd now. But the case for keeping Crosby clearly resonates as well. The post NFL Insider Jason La Canfora: Maxx Crosby Trade Price Revealed as Raiders Face Deadline Dilemma appeared first on Casino.org.