​Maxx Crosby’s offseason has been nothing short of chaotic. After a lengthy tenure with the Las Vegas Raiders, he finally asked for a trade, and the team granted his request. The Baltimore Ravens initially agreed to send two first-round picks to Las Vegas for Crosby, only to back out after a failed physical. Before the deal collapsed, Crosby was buzzing at the prospect of joining a perennial contender and starting anew.
One major allure of joining the Ravens was the chance to play alongside two-time MVP Lamar Jackson. Crosby, widely regarded as one of the NFL’s elite pass rushers, has even admitted that matching up with Jackson presents a unique challenge. “I want to take a really good pursuit angle,” he said at the Sack Summit. “In my mind, I’m thinking, (expletive) the quarterback. Besides Lamar Jackson, I’m chasing their guy down no matter what.” Though Crosby won’t be lining up with Jackson, he’s now poised to team with Fernando Mendoza, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Crosby has faced a wide array of signal-callers over the years, and he’s hoping Mendoza can finally provide some long‑sought consistency at the helm.
Crosby addressed Mendoza directly, offering a candid message. “If you’re not genuine, people notice pretty quickly,” Crosby said on The Rush. “College is different. You’re growing as a man, trying to figure out who you are and evolve as a leader while you’re still in school. You’re navigating life and trying to learn how to operate. But once you reach the league, you’re dealing with grown men who have families and a wide range of motivations, each coming from a different path. Being genuine will never steer you wrong. And I’ll admit I’m a little off the wall at times. I’m not saying you’re weird, but I do some outlandish stuff and I’ll say things that surprise people.”
Crosby has endured a couple of injury-plagued seasons, yet he remains a productive force. While his sack totals haven’t skyrocketed recently, he’s consistently stood out as one of the NFL’s premier run defenders. This contributed to a recent ESPN poll by Jeremy Fowler, which ranked Crosby as the fourth-best defensive end in the league. Fowler noted that Crosby has 69.5 sacks across seven seasons, placing him among the Raiders’ most productive edge players since 1982, alongside names like Greg Townsend (107.5) and Howie Long (84.0) for the franchise’s all-time leaders in that metric. Crosby also logged 35 career games with five or more pressures since entering the league in 2019, the most in the NFL during that span.
With the Ravens drama behind him, Crosby heads into a season that promises to carry a heavy chip on his shoulder. His motivation is unmistakable: prove himself at a high level, help the Ravens contend, and anchor a Las Vegas rebuild that continues to gain momentum. A standout season from Crosby could serve as a catalyst for the Raiders’ rebuild, especially if Mendoza proves to be the real deal at quarterback. They remain a team on the upswing, and Crosby’s impact could be a pivotal factor in both teams’ trajectories this year.