Getty
Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby.
If the Chicago Bears are planning to make a play on the trade market for Pro Bowl pass rusher Maxx Crosby, a new update suggests it could happen in the next week.
Coming out of last week’s 2026 NFL Combine, Sports Illustrated insider Albert Breer divulged new details about Crosby’s situation with the Las Vegas Raiders, writing that he would “lean toward a Maxx Crosby trade happening, and maybe this week.”
Breer also directly connected the Bears to Crosby as one of seven franchises that are currently “keeping tabs on his availability” ahead of the new league year on March 11.
“There’s also logic to the idea that it’s time for Crosby, who very badly wants to win, and the team, to move on,” Breer wrote. “The Raiders will almost certainly have a rookie quarterback playing in the fall, and it could take a year or two to get the roster to where it needs to be. Would Crosby still be in his prime then? Would the Raiders be able to get the same price a year or two from now that they might bring home this week?
“These are the questions the Raiders will have to ask themselves, weighing keeping one of the NFL’s best players against having more capital to build a team that Fernando Mendoza has a great chance to grow with.”
Could Trade Market Push Out Bears on Maxx Crosby?
Breer’s report that the Bears are indeed monitoring the situation with Crosby is notable, though not that surprising. Chicago is widely expected to prioritize improvements to its defensive line after finishing tied for the worst pass-rush win rate in 2025, per ESPN.
On the front, Crosby, a Pro Bowler in five straight seasons, would be a game-changer.
The potential problem with the Bears’ interest in Crosby is the price tag. The Bears may feel that taking on the cost of Crosby’s contract — about $29 million annually over the next four seasons — is possible, but the compensation that ESPN’s Adam Schefter has suggested the Raiders are seeking could prove an insurmountable obstacle for them.
“I think AJ Brown and Maxx Crosby are in similar situations,” Schefter told The Pat McAfee Show on March 2. “Both teams [are] not wanting to deal their guys, both teams [are] open to listening and both teams have to have an offer that they can’t say no to to move guys that they want to hold onto. … Feel free to doubt me anytime.”
“I think AJ Brown and Maxx Crosby are in a similar situation..
Both teams not wanting to deal their guys but both teams are open to listening..
It would take an offer that both teams couldn’t say no to” ~ @AdamSchefter #PMSLive
While Schefter did not list specific compensation, it stands to reason that the Raiders would want more than a first-round pick for their five-time Pro Bowl pass rusher if they are truly waiting for an offer that they cannot refuse. And if the market demands push the price tag up into the range of multiple first-rounders, expect the Bears to bow out.
Maxx Crosby Trade Buzz Could Help Bears Either Way
Putting aside the compensation, there are several reasons why it would make sense for the Bears to consider a blockbuster deal for Crosby from talent and need perspectives.
That said, the Bears could still benefit if Crosby gets traded somewhere else instead.
Talented edge rushers are generally in high demand, not just because they are difficult to find but also because the stance that you can never have enough pass rushers has become a mainstay for teams that are year in and year out in Super Bowl contention. So, if an edge-needy team acquires Crosby, it would also remove a potential rival for the Bears if they decided to pursue other pass rushers in free agency or the trade market.
In terms of trades, there are a few possibilities outside of Crosby. One of the big ones after the Jermaine Johnson trade is Kayvon Thibodeaux, who will cost roughly $14.7 million against the cap in 2026 if he plays the season on his fifth-year option.
The Bears could also consider veteran free agents with a little more risk, such as star Cincinnati Bengals pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, who should have a sizeable market but may also see his price tag come down after playing only seven games in 2025.
Even if the Bears lose out — or avoid — all of the established options, they would still benefit from other teams jumping on those other pass rushers, as it would increase their chances of a high-end pass rushing prospect falling into their laps in the draft.
The new league year will begin at 4 p.m. ET on March 11.
Jordan J. Wilson is a sports reporter who covers the NFL and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. He has previously covered all levels of sports — high school, college and pro — for a variety of publications including The Indianapolis Star, The News-Gazette, Springfield State-Journal Register and Peoria Journal Star. More about Jordan J. Wilson
More Heavy on Bears
Loading more stories