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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 28: Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears smiles at Maxx Crosby #98 of the Las Vegas Raiders during the third quarter at Allegiant Stadium on September 28, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)

Tom Pelissero may have just given the Chicago Bears their most encouraging Maxx Crosby update yet.

Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show on Monday, the NFL Network insider did more than speculate about Crosby’s future.

He identified Chicago as the first team that immediately comes to mind if the Las Vegas Raiders ultimately decide to move their All Pro pass rusher. Coming off earlier comments suggesting a deal could happen within days, Pelissero’s latest remarks only intensified the conversation.

“If I’m thinking about who would make sense, it would be anybody that’s a contender and has sufficient cap space, or the ability to create it, should be involved,” Pelissero said. “The one that would come to mind would be the Chicago Bears.”

For a fan base watching every development on the Crosby trade saga closely, that is significant news.

Tom Pelissero Names Bears as ‘Top Fit’ for Maxx Crosby

Pelissero didn’t mention Chicago casually. He pointed to real reasons the fit makes sense.

“A team that people would remember swung a trade with the Raiders for a pretty high profile pass rusher in Khalil Mack some years ago,” he said, referencing the 2018 blockbuster that reshaped both franchises.

The historical parallel matters. Chicago has shown it is willing to pay a premium for an elite edge rusher. More importantly, Pelissero emphasized the Bears’ competitive positioning.

“The Bears feel like they are close. They were right there at the end in the playoffs. Could Maxx Crosby be someone that puts them over the top and elevates their pass rush?”

That framing casts Crosby not as a luxury addition, but as the kind of move that could push a contender over the top. An established team with flexibility and motivation is exactly the type Pelissero described as the best fit in this trade.

Pelissero Provides Bears with Further Updates

The urgency in Pelissero’s comments is what truly stands out.

Last week, he made clear that interest around the league is real.

“I would say it is fair to assume that the Raiders are getting many calls about Maxx Crosby,” Pelissero said. “The Raiders don’t need to make calls. They will get calls on Maxx Crosby.”

Then came the timeline.

“Is there a world where Maxx Crosby gets traded in the next 7 to 10 days? I believe there is. We’re not there yet in terms of a deal actually getting done. But almost every player in the NFL has a price. I do believe that there is a possibility of Maxx Crosby being traded sometime between now and the start of the league year.”

The new league year begins March 11.

Las Vegas leadership has publicly expressed a desire to keep Crosby. But Pelissero’s tone suggests a trade is very much in play.

When one of the league’s most plugged in insiders identifies a specific contender and floats a defined trade window, it changes the feel of the conversation.

For Chicago, this no longer feels like distant speculation. It feels like something that can happen very soon.

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