Eric DeCosta Recalls How Ravens Tried to Sign Maxx Crosby and Trey Hendrickson After Tyler Linderbaum’s Exit

It came out all of a sudden late on Tuesday night: The Las Vegas Raiders’ announcement that the Baltimore Ravens had officially withdrawn from their trade involving two first-round draft picks for Maxx Crosby. The speculations soon began.

At first, it was believed that the franchise had issues with Crosby’s inability to pass a physical exam following his meniscus surgery. However, the Ravens turned around and signed Trey Hendrickson to a four-year, $112-million contract the very next day. And many have begun to cry foul.

The verdict is still out as to whether or not the Ravens acted in bad faith. The team’s general manager, Eric DeCosta, attempting to clarify, has said that their original plan was actually to sign both Crosby and Hendrickson.

“We came to a point after we lost Tyler [Linderbaum], where, as we were trying to find the best way for us to get better as a football team. Trey kind of made a lot of sense as a possible guy to look at,” said DeCosta.

“So, we started conversations with the organization, thinking potentially we’d have two pass rushers on both sides of the line,” he explained before doubling down to reiterate that they did, in fact, want both pass rushers.

DeCosta went as far as to suggest that “it was disappointing to us and potentially, probably even disappointing to Trey as well” that the trade for Crosby did not happen.

Ravens GM says the Raiders were informed of the withdrawal

One of the more pressing questions of the emergency press conference that the Ravens held to clarify the ordeal was about how DeCosta and the rest of the front office went about informing the Raiders of their decision to withdraw.

After noting that he has “a lot of respect for Mark Davis and the Raiders,” DeCosta replied that “it wasn’t just one conversation” and that the entire process lasted “a full day span.”

DeCosta added, “The Raiders have been one of my favorite teams. It’s tough. It’s challenging. It’s devastating for me to have that conversation, and I’m sure it’s challenging for them to hear as well. It’s also very, very, very hard for the player to hear that as well, and it’s probably the hardest for him than anybody else.”

For better or worse, the Ravens and Raiders will now head their separate ways, looking to continue their respective quests in the remainder of the offseason. Given the sheer amount of drama that’s erupted from this failed trade, it seems rather safe to suggest that it’ll be a while before these two even consider the possibility of doing business with each other again.