Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby is unquestionably one of the best defenders in the NFL, and Las Vegas is surely thankful to employ his services. However, it doesn’t look like the man will continue to wreak havoc for his current team much longer.
Recent reports have strongly hinted at a nearing split between Crosby and the Raiders. With the production and disruption that the star defensive end has consistently provided, Las Vegas will certainly have their pick between several luxurious trade offers.
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With Crosby appearing to be on the way out in Las Vegas, a fellow West Coast franchise could very well be his next home.
A Looming Ending
Since being drafted by the Raiders in 2019, Crosby has been a staple piece for the “silver and black”.
Across his career, he has accumulated 69.5 sacks, 133 tackles for loss, and 164 quarterback hits. In 2025, Crosby posted a stat line of 10 sacks, 28 tackles for loss, and 20 knocks on opposing signal-callers.
In spite of the impact that Crosby creates for Las Vegas’ defense, the franchise has struggled to build a competitive roster around him. Word has spread that the defensive end is fed up with his organization’s constant shortcomings and that he wishes to be part of a winning culture.
To make matters even worse, the team elected to purposefully sit Crosby in the final two games of this season to boost its odds of losing and securing the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. This did not go over well with Crosby, and the relationship between the man and his team was impacted as a result.
Despite these issues, the Raiders have Crosby under contract through the 2029 season, meaning they would need to have their socks knocked off by an offer to trade their elite pass rusher.
Final Piece of the Puzzle
The San Francisco 49ers are widely renowned as one of the greatest franchises in NFL history. However, the organization has been rather unlucky in recent seasons.
Since the beginning of the 2020s, the 49ers have appeared in an impressive four NFC Championship games. Unfortunately, the team has failed to capture a Lombardi Trophy in any of those campaigns.
This season, San Francisco entered its Week 18 home game against the Seattle Seahawks with a prime opportunity to clinch the NFC’s top seed. Alas, the 49ers lost to their NFC West counterpart and instead dropped all the way to the conference’s sixth seed. This disadvantage proved to be detrimental, as the 49ers would then be throttled by the Seahawks on the road in the divisional round.
One major issue for the 49ers this year was their extreme lack of defensive pressure. San Francisco accumulated a league-low 20 sacks in 2025, and opposing offenses feasted as a result.
Admittedly, injuries played a large part in this conundrum, as former Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa and 2025 first-round pick Mykel Williams both tore their ACLs during the season. However, no team can ever have too much edge pressure, and especially one that could not produce in the slightest when certain players were not present.
As the Seahawks showcased this season, a lethal pass-rush can turn a team from good to elite. If the 49ers paid attention to their rival’s blueprint, making a drastic move to improve that facet of the game should be in the cards.
The Trade
49ers receive: DE Maxx Crosby
Raiders receive: WR Brandon Aiyuk, 2026 first-round pick (No. 27), 2027 first-round pick
In this monumental exchange, the 49ers land Crosby with a package that mirrors the one that secured Micah Parsons for the Packers. Last offseason, Green Bay sent two first-round picks and a starter (Kenny Clark) to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for the uber-talented player.
The Raiders acquire multiple premium selections for an aging (29 years old by the beginning of season) player that does not fit their forward-looking timeline. Moreover, the 49ers find the perfect opportunity to finally trade disgruntled wideout Brandon Aiyuk. The Raiders currently own one of the weakest receiver rooms in the league, and Aiyuk would instantly become the team’s top option out wide.
Although the price tag is hefty, the 49ers would suddenly own the NFL’s scariest pass-rushing duo between Crosby and a healthy Bosa. San Francisco is back in Super Bowl discussions, and the defensive end is gifted a legitimate possibility of winning a ring.
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