The Las Vegas Raiders are trading five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for 2026 and 2027 first-round picks, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The move will be officially completed next week when the new league year begins.
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Las Vegas Raiders have agreed to trade a five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher to the Baltimore Ravens.
- Baltimore is sending two future first-round picks for a proven defensive difference-maker to anchor their new scheme.
- This bold move signals the Ravens’ urgency to maximize their window with their star quarterback in the post-Harbaugh era.
ESPN sources: the Raiders agreed to trade five-time Pro-Bowl DE Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for 2026 and 2027 first-round picks.
The trade cannot be processed until next week, but it is in place. And Crosby is expected to be a Raven with two 1s back to Vegas. pic.twitter.com/rfExCLpXfF
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 7, 2026
Crosby and the Raiders have been trending toward a breakup for months, even if Crosby refused to publicly feed into speculation. The Raiders held firm on a high asking price and got rewarded, with Crosby now joining one of the most talent-rich defensive rosters in the AFC under new head coach Jesse Minter.
Ravens trade grade: A-
The going rate for superstar edge rushers spiked last summer when the Cowboys acquired two first-round picks and Kenny Clark from Green Bay in exchange for Micah Parsons. By that metric, this is a win for Baltimore, acquiring a slightly lesser talent for a slightly less onerous return package.
Crosby put up 10.0 sacks, 28 tackles for loss and 20 QB hits in 15 appearances last season. He hasn’t appeared in a full 17 games since 2023, but Crosby has five straight Pro Bowls under his belt. He’s an overwhelming athlete and an even more ravenous (more like Raven-ous) competitor. This changes the alchemy of Baltimore’s defense for the better and sets the tone ahead of a critical 2026 campaign
This is an incredible first step in the post-John Harbaugh era. Baltimore had never traded a first-round pick for a veteran in franchise history — never ever — until Friday night. This is a bold swing for a team that reeks ever so slightly of desperation. But this is how a team in Baltimore’s situation, with the window closing on two-time MVP Lamar Jackson, should respond to adversity. Last season was unforgivable, even with all the injuries. Jesse Minter now has a blue-chip superstar to build his scheme around. This is what happens, often, when teams hire a new coach. They go out and get dudes who fit the system. Crosby, to borrow a phrase from future NBA Hall of Famer James Harden, is the system.
With better health and Crosby in the mix, Baltimore projects as one of the top defensive units in the NFL next season. If the offense can get back up to speed with a full-strength Jackson, a few minor personnel tweaks, and a fresh-faced playcaller in Declan Doyle, the Ravens could ascend the AFC ladder rather quickly. We all thought the Ravens were Super Bowl contenders a year ago. It’s time to fire up that preseason campaign again.
There is risk in trading two premium picks for a 28-year-old coming off of season-ending knee injury, but little is accomplished in this life without taking a few chances.
Raiders trade grade: A
The Raiders couldn’t ask for much better than this. Baltimore’s first-round pick this April sits 14th, giving the front office a chance to add another foundational weapon behind projected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. Next year’s pick probably falls a bit further down the board, but this is still excellent value for a disgruntled star with recent injury history.
Tom Brady’s second year as minority owner and shadow GM is now in full swing. The Raiders are reinventing themselves again, embracing the youth movement and cleaning out potential distractions for new head coach Klint Kubiak. Losing Crosby stings — don’t get me wrong — but four first-round picks over the next two years can rapidly expedite this rebuild.
Whom might the Raiders target with the 14th pick? There are several viable paths, from a Crosby replacement, to an offensive lineman or a wide receiver. FanSided’s Cody Williams projected Arizona State pass-catcher Jordyn Tyson to the Ravens pre-trade. Perhaps that projection maps onto Las Vegas’ plans, as boosting the weaponry around Fernando Mendoza ought to be priority No. 1 for the Raiders front office.
Crosby is under contract through 2029, so the Raiders had leverage in these negotiations. While Crosby is unequivocally “worth” a couple first-round picks, his age and mounting injury concerns add enough doubt to the equation for Las Vegas to feel good about the move, even if it means a step back in the immediate future. The goal is to build sustainably around a rookie QB, not to win the Super Bowl next season. Raiders fans did not want to see Crosby in a different uniform, but the relationship became fractured beyond repair. Rather than hanging on until his massive contract became a sunk cost, Vegas spins their best asset into premium draft capital. Now it’s on Brady and GM John Spytek to nail the picks.
