Ravens have picked up Raiders' superstar in trade

In the largest trade in franchise history, the Baltimore Ravens have agreed to acquire five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for first-round picks in the 2026 and 2027 drafts. The deal, first reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN, is pending Crosby passing a physical once the new league year begins Wednesday.

For Baltimore, the move represents a dramatic shift from the organization’s long-standing philosophy of building primarily through the draft. Never in the franchise’s 31-year history had the Ravens traded a first-round pick for a veteran player before this deal. Now they are sending two.

The Ravens’ aggressive move comes after a disappointing 2025 season in which the team finished 8–9, missed the playoffs, and parted ways with longtime head coach John Harbaugh. Baltimore’s defense, typically the backbone of the franchise, struggled to generate consistent pressure, finishing with just 30 sacks, its lowest total in 15 years.

Even more striking: the 2025 season marked the first time since the team’s inaugural 1996 campaign that the Ravens did not have an edge rusher record of more than 4.5 sacks. Crosby immediately changes that outlook.

Since entering the league in 2019, Crosby has been one of the NFL’s most disruptive defenders. According to ESPN Research, he has recorded 360 quarterback pressures during that span 29 more than any other player in the league. Over his seven-year career, Crosby has produced four seasons with double-digit sacks and has earned a reputation as one of the most relentless pass rushers in football. His arrival gives Baltimore its most feared edge defender in his prime since franchise legend Terrell Suggs, the Ravens’ all-time sack leader who anchored the defense from 2003 to 2018.

The addition is especially significant for newly hired head coach Jesse Minter, who will also call plays on defense. Crosby’s ability to pressure quarterbacks consistently should fit seamlessly into Minter’s aggressive defensive scheme and could help restore the Ravens’ identity as one of the league’s most dominant defenses.

Baltimore reportedly beat out multiple teams pursuing Crosby, including the Dallas Cowboys, who were willing to offer a first- and second-round pick for the star pass rusher.

For the Raiders, the trade signals the beginning of a major rebuild following a disastrous 2025 season. Under head coach Pete Carroll, Las Vegas entered the year with hopes of establishing a winning culture but instead finished 3–14 one of the worst seasons in franchise history.

Quarterback Geno Smith struggled throughout the season, throwing a league-high 17 interceptions. The team also fired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and special team's coordinator Tom McMahon midseason.

Despite the franchise’s struggles, Crosby remained one of the few bright spots. Drafted in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, he quickly developed into one of the league’s premier defensive players. However, his tenure with the Raiders was marked by instability—five losing seasons, five head coaches, four general managers, and nine different starting quarterbacks.

The Raiders had hoped Crosby would be the centerpiece of a new era after signing him to a three-year, $106.5 million extension last March. But the team’s continued struggles ultimately made a trade inevitable.

For Baltimore, the price is steep—two first-round picks, including the No. 14 overall selection in the upcoming draft. But the Ravens believe Crosby is the type of elite defensive playmaker capable of transforming their defense and pushing the team back into championship contention.

If Crosby performs as expected, the Ravens may have finally found the game-changing defender they’ve been searching for to lead them back to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2012 season.