Since Davante Adams got traded to the New York Jets, Maxx Crosby’s name has been floated around in trade discussions. The Las Vegas Raiders are 2-5 on the season and are unlikely to make the NFL postseason.
Many thought the Detroit Lions would make a move for Crosby following Aidan Hutchinson’s season-ending injury. The NFL’s trade deadline is on Nov. 5, and Raiders owner Mark Davis has already made a decision regarding the star pass rusher’s future with the franchise.
Fans React to Mark Davis’ Decision on Maxx Crosby’s Future
The Raiders owner has confirmed that the team will not trade the three-time Pro Bowler. “We’re Not Trading Maxx Crosby,” Davis wrote in an email to ESPN. “Before Or After The Trade Deadline!!!”
Following Davis’ comments, fans on social media started mocking the Lions fanbase as they believed they could get the Raiders star and replace Hutchinson’s production.
“Lions fans in shambles,” wrote one fan on Reddit.
“Lol, some Lions fans were really convinced this was going to happen,” added another fan.
“All the Lions flairs are so salty about this, LOL. Just because the Raiders are rebuilding doesn’t mean their most iconic player is gonna be included in that,” said another fan.
“Lions fans have one and half good years and are lecturing others about winning,” said one Vikings fan after a Lions fan criticized the Raiders for keeping Crosby.
“I have insider information that he [Davis] had his fingers crossed behind his back,” said one Lions fan in the hope of the Raiders still trading Crosby to Detroit.
It’s true that the Raiders are currently rebuilding and would have benefited from getting a first-round pick in exchange for Crosby. However, the franchise sees the player as their leader and will likely keep him on the team until Crosby hands in a trade request. The defensive end played a big role in re-hiring Antonio Pierce as their head coach, and now Crosby hopes that Pierce will help turn around the team’s season again.
The Raiders will play the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8, and a win against the defending Super Bowl champions will go a long way in restoring the faith in the players, fans, and the ownership group.
A Look at Crosby’s NFL Career So Far
The Raiders drafted Crosby with the 106th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He hit the ground running in the NFL and recorded 10 sacks in his rookie season.
Crosby is a three-time Pro Bowler and one of the best defensive players in the league. In 2022, he signed a four-year, $94 million contract extension and is under contract until 2027.
Limitless. 🦅💎 pic.twitter.com/fyF8bJx7qv
— Maxx Crosby (@CrosbyMaxx) October 23, 2024
In 89 games across six seasons, he has recorded 219 solo tackles, 125 assists, 58.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries. Although Crosby is having a good year, according to PFN’s Defense+ metric, the Raiders still rank just 19th in the league.
Their worst result of the season was allowing Andy Dalton’s Panthers to hang 36 points on them. However, since then, they have allowed the Broncos and Steelers to score 30 points as well. The only positive to take from that is that the performances in those games were better in terms of the underlying metrics.
The only thing they rank above average in has been the third-down conversion rate. Their biggest concern has been generating pressure without blitzing (ranking 27th) and forcing turnovers (ranking 29th). This roster does not have a lot to be positive about on either side of the ball right now.
The Raiders’ struggles have fueled speculation of a firesale as the NFL trade deadline approaches. Crosby is in a similar situation to Myles Garrett. Both are difference-makers on the field and will be perfect for a contending team, but they are likely to stay on their respective rosters, ones likely to draft a new quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Tom Brady is now officially a minority owner of the Raiders, and his presence might improve some things. Moreover, Brady could play a significant role in the Raiders drafting Shedeur Sanders in 2025, which could be a franchise-altering decision.