Maxx Crosby trade winners and losers: Raiders stockpile assets, Ravens take risk, Cowboys flop
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Maxx Crosby trade winners and losers: Raiders stockpile assets, Ravens take risk, Cowboys flop originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Maxx Crosby being traded by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2026 NFL offseason is no surprise. But him landing with the Baltimore Ravens over several other rumored suitors and how much they gave up to land the star edge pass rusher are mild shockers.
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The Ravens are getting Crosby a year after he signed a three-year, $106.5 million extension with the Raiders. They gave up first-round picks in both '26 (No. 14 overall) and 2027.
Crosby going from the AFC West's worst team to the AFC North favorites has ripple effects across the league: Here's breaking them down:
MORE: Who won the Maxx Crosby Trade? Grading the deal for both teams
Maxx Crosby trade winners and losers
Winners: Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders are committing to their offense and their soon-to-be franchise quarterback, No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. They need to rebuild their offensive line and wide receiver corps for him, and they just acquired significant extra draft capital to support new offensive-minded coach Klint Kubiak.
Crosby gave the Raiders 69.5 sacks and a dominant pass rush over his seven seasons. But the team went only 42-68 in the regular season when he played and made the playoffs just once.
The Raiders last reached the Super Bowl 23 years ago on the strength of then-MVP Rich Gannon and the offense. Crosby was a great player for them, but he was expensive relative to the team's success.
Winners: Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens "win" for filling their need for a top pass rusher, but they are taking an expensive risk that Crosby, who has played end in a base 3-4 throughout his career, can deliver in a 3-4 hybrid scheme under new Baltimore defensive-minded coach Jesse Minter. The Ravens went aggressive sensing this is their chance to go hard after an AFC title with Lamar Jackson with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs' not bieng the usual obstacle. Crosby needs to further raise is a game in a division with reigning DPOY Myles Garrett to give the Ravens career-best impact in his prime to pay off.
Losers: Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys looked to have the inside track to acquire Crosby from the Raiders and make up for moving pass-rusher Micah Parsons to the Packers before the 2026 season. Now they are back to the drawing board trying to get a cornerstone sack artist for their defensive rebuild under new coordinator Christian Parker.
MORE: Why did the Raiders trade Maxx Crosby to the Ravens?
Loser: Odafe Oweh
The former Ravens pass rusher had a delayed breakout season as a first-round talent once he was was traded to Minter's Chargers in the middle of last season. He looked like he would break the back going back to Baltimore to follow Minter. That won't happen now that Crosby is one leaving an AFC West team instead.
Winner: Trey Hendrickson
With Crosby traded before the start of free agency, Hendrickson becomes the top pass-rushing target with the dropoff to Jaelen Phillips and Oweh as the next best edge options available is considerable. The Bengals' prolific pass rusher is headed to huge payday, maybe the Chargers to replace Oweh.
MORE: How Maxx Crosby trade return compares to deals for Micah Parsons, Khalil Mack, others
Loser: Detroit Lions
The Lions will need to work hard to come away with Oweh, Hendrickson or Phillips after being rumored so long and so early in the process to land Crosby. Getting an Aidan Hutchinson desired bookend from another team just might be too pricey.
Loser: Washington Commanders
The Commanders hoped to be the team spoiling the rival Cowboys' efforts to land Crosby for much-needed immediate pass-rush help. Now they'll need to be reminded that it was the other team around the Beltway that made the big move to add the 6-foot-5, 255-pound end, a perfect fit in Dan Quinn's defense.
Losers: The rest of the AFC North
The Browns can boast Garrett. The Steelers have T.J. Watt. The Bengals, however, will be losing Hendrickson. Crosby is a great pass-rushing equalizer for the Ravens to have fronting their defense and disrupting plays in the backfield.
Winners: The rest of the AFC West
Mahomes won't need to worry about Crosby again in the division coming off his torn ACL. Justin Herbert won't need to duck behind what the Chargers hope will be improved pass protection. Bo Nix is free of having nightmares, too, while heck, Mendoza won't need to feel footsteps in practice. The Raiders are Mendoza's team now, and no longer Crosby's.