Once NFL team meetings popped up on the schedule, it was pretty much guaranteed that the Baltimore Ravens’ drama surrounding Maxx Crosby was going to be a hot topic. After stunningly backing out of the trade, Baltimore has gotten relentless shade for their ultimate decision to send Crosby back to the Las Vegas Raiders.
New head coach Jesse Minter was asked about the failed deal during his interview time on Tuesday, but refused to comment on the situation, only highlighting that it was unfortunate that the team couldn’t land such a high-profile player. That’s expected from a first-year head coach, who is likely doing his best to stay out of the drama, as does most of Baltimore’s front office.
However, longtime Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had no problem sharing his thoughts. He went to bat for the Ravens.
“For me, there’s no hidden item here. You have to pass a physical. You have to,” Jones said. “And we’ve never completed an agreement until the player passes a physical. That implies that your doctors, your trainers, and everyone involved gets to take a look at him.”
Baltimore Ravens receive backing on Maxx Crosby debacle from Jerry Jones
Of course, Jones is a polarizing figure. It’s not like everyone immediately switches their tone when Jones makes a comment like the one above. In fact, it’s kind of the complete opposite. He’s that polarizing. However, with his experience, he certainly knows the ins and outs of the offseason process through trades like the one for Crosby. It’s not unheard of to back out of a deal due to a failed physical.
There’s also an interconnected web between Baltimore and Dallas within this Crosby saga. Cowboys team physician Dr. Daniel Cooper was among those the Ravens referred to when looking over his physical. Cooper is very well-respected, especially when it comes to knee injuries. He performed the surgery on Patrick Mahomes this past season. Clearly, his opinion carried a ton of weight.
Crosby’s knee issues were well-known going into the initially accepted trade, and that’s the part that has people questioning Baltimore’s real intent. The 28-year-old tore his meniscus in Week 7, and though he played through it for most of the season, and did so really well, it’s fair to wonder if he did extra damage on that knee. So yes, while it was a known injury and the medicals were there, further imaging and tests can turn things into a completely different ballgame.
When you’re trading two first-round picks, you have to make sure everything is perfect. The fact that the Ravens backed out, retained their picks, and still signed Trey Hendrickson adds to the shadiness, but they’ve mentioned the plan was to pair Crosby with Hendrickson.
Ultimately, Jones’ words at least somewhat back Baltimore’s line of thinking. Only time will tell, though. Crosby’s a tremendous player, but maybe there was something wrong with his knee that told the Ravens that the deal wouldn’t have been worth it long term.