After surviving the 2025 trade deadline amid heavy speculation, Maxx Crosby remains a member of the Las Vegas Raiders as a rare piece of stability for a franchise deep in transition. Despite alleged interest from contenders like the Dallas Cowboys, the Raiders chose loyalty over liquidation.
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Crosby also reaffirmed his commitment to Las Vegas, saying, “I just have a special connection with the fan base… I’ve been here for seven years, and they’ve been through it, just like I’ve been through it.”
But according to John Middlekauff, that loyalty might not last much longer. Speaking on his podcast, Middlekauff argued that the Raiders could, and maybe should, explore trading Crosby in the 2026 offseason.
“Obviously, Max Crosby is an elite player. But I don’t think he has much value on a team that’s doing nothing because of the way the Raiders structure contracts. You can trade him this offseason. If you can trade Sauce Gardner for a couple [of] ones, if you can say Quinnen Williams for a two and a one, you can trade Max for a lot,” Middlekauff said.
“They just don’t have the talent. And I think they thought they were better than they were. Max is their quickest path toward resetting this thing… They are not good. And they just acknowledged it by trading Jakobi [Meyers], their best wide receiver. I just think they gotta pull the plug,” he added.
As much as Crosby is the emotional heartbeat of the Raiders, his prime years may not align with the team’s competitive timeline. Las Vegas is sitting at 2-7 this season, anchored by young bright spots like rookie RB Ashton Jeanty and TE Brock Bowers. But they are far from playoff contention.
Crosby, 29 by 2026, still commands immense trade value that could accelerate a rebuild under GM John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll. From a business perspective, the numbers add weight to Middlekauff’s take.
Crosby’s $38.1 million cap hit in 2025 and $30 million guaranteed in 2026 can be a hindrance for a team that needs draft capital more than cap locks. And with the Cowboys, the Eagles, and the Lions, all projected to need elite pass-rushing help next offseason, the trade market could explode again.
Still, there’s an emotional and cultural cost to trading Crosby. He’s not just the Raiders’ best player, he’s their tone-setter, and a fan favorite who’s publicly vowed to give “everything I’ve got until I can’t anymore.”
If Las Vegas is serious about rebuilding around Jeanty, Bowers, and their next franchise quarterback, it might make sense to cash in on Crosby’s value while it’s at its peak. His trade could bring in multiple premium assets and give the Raiders flexibility in a strong 2026 draft class.
But if the Raiders hope to keep a foundation of toughness and leadership through the rebuild, moving their best player could backfire, alienating fans and erasing one of the few remaining symbols of continuity. Middlekauff’s idea does make strategic sense, but is it a move that Raider Nation would approve of?
