Maxx Crosby trade grades for Ravens-Raiders blockbuster

Earlier in the day on Friday, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson sent social media into hyperdrive when he shared this meme:

Many speculated that it was a reference to a potential blockbuster trade involving star pass rusher Maxx Crosby.

It turns out that speculation was based in reality.

According to multiple reports, the Ravens have agreed to terms on a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders for the standout defender. As reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Ravens are sending their 2026 first-round pick (No. 14 overall) and their 2027 first-round pick to the Raiders in exchange for Crosby.

Let’s hand out some grades.

We can start with the Raiders’ side of the deal.

It is clear that Las Vegas is starting over, with the hire of new head coach Klint Kubiak, the decision to part ways with Geno Smith which was announced earlier in the day on Friday, and now the decision to trade Crosby after seven seasons with the franchise.

In return, the Raiders are getting a pair of first-round picks, and now have two of the first 15 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. While it is widely anticipated that the Raiders will draft Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick, the Raiders have needs beyond the quarterback position.

Including now along the defensive line.

Las Vegas now has an additional first-round pick, which they could use to address one of those needs. Or they could decide to trade down from No. 14, adding additional draft capital along the way. In addition, Las Vegas now has two first-round picks in the 2027 NFL Draft, giving them more opportunities to build around the likely rookie quarterback contract of Mendoza’s.

As general manager John Spytek said during the NFL Combine, Crosby is an elite player, and it is hard to win in the NFL without elite players. But given the fact that the Raiders are in the middle of a rebuild, accumulating two more first-round picks gives Las Vegas a solid chance to add elite talent in the next two drafts, to build around the rookie quarterback we all expect them to draft at the top of the board.

Grade: A

Two things are true here.

The Ravens paid a steep price for Crosby, one they have never paid before.

But given a glaring need to address the pass rush, and Crosby’s talent, this feels like a solid move for the Ravens.

Baltimore’s defense took a step back against the pass a season ago, as the Ravens allowed opposing quarterbacks to post an Adjusted Net Yards per Attempt of 6.7 in 2025, the tenth-worst mark in the league. Baltimore also recorded just 30 sacks last year, the third-lowest total in the NFL.

They needed pass rushing help, badly.

Now to be sure, Baltimore could have added a rookie pass rusher with their pick at No. 14. Looking at the current “consensus big board” as compiled by NFL Mock Draft Database, players such as Keldric Faulk, Akheem Mesidor, and Cashius Howell could have been options for the Ravens in that spot. But while all three players have potential, Crosby is a proven commodity, and one of the league’s elite pass rushers. A team like Baltimore, that hopes to contend for a division title or more in 2026, can afford to take a big swing like this on a player that they can rely on immediately.

And given Baltimore’s need along the defensive front, this makes a great deal of sense for them, despite the cost.

Returning to where we started, consider this:

That the organization finally made a move like this tells you just how badly they wanted to get it done.

Grade: A-