Maxx Crosby is one of the best in the league at his position. However, the star edge-rusher has long been rumored to be unhappy with the Las Vegas Raiders, and it seems like things could come to a head this offseason.
Rumors started flying at the end of last season that Crosby wasn’t happy. Now, one NFL insider is providing some insight into why Crosby is disgruntled with the franchise.
NFL Insider Points to Tom Brady Ally as One Reason for Crosby’s ‘Frustration’
Crosby has been with the Raiders since the team drafted him out of Eastern Michigan in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Since entering the league, Crosby has earned five Pro Bowl selections and has four seasons of double-digit sacks. Almost exactly one year ago, Crosby signed a massive three-year, $106.5 million extension with the Raiders, but the relationship has deteriorated since then.
Per NFL insider Michael Silver, at least some of Crosby’s frustration comes from the presence of a longtime friend of Tom Brady, Alex Guerrero. Guerrero and Brady’s relationship goes back to at least 2005, and Guerrero even traveled on the Patriots’ team plane during Brady’s playing days.
After Brady became a minority owner of the Raiders, Guerrero was hired as the team’s wellness coordinator. Silver says Guerrero’s presence is causing “trust issues” within the building.
“Guerrero is perceived to have a direct pipeline to Brady, who lives in Florida and serves as Fox’s lead NFL analyst, limiting his in-person presence. Suffice it to say that there are trust issues permeating the Raiders’ training facility in Henderson, Nevada,” Silver reported.
Guerrero apparently “regularly attends practices and meetings,” and is believed to hold “significant organizational power.”
Crosby’s frustrations first came to light when the star was held out of the team’s final two games in 2025. Crosby disagreed with the decision and felt like he was healthy enough to play, but the team shut him down anyway.
That, coupled with the Guerrero news, suggests a trade is inevitable. Silver went as far as to say a trade is “expected” soon.
Crosby Trade Could have Huge Implications
The Raiders asking price for Crosby will undoubtedly be huge. Last offseason, Micah Parsons, another elite edge rusher, went for two first-round picks and a quality starter, so the Raiders would want something similar.
Whoever trades for Crosby is getting a true difference-maker who can shake the balance of power. Crosby earned an elite 95.3 grade from PFSN’s EDGE Impact metric last season and racked up 10 sacks and 20 quarterback hits.
Crosby has a cap hit of over $35 million in 2026, so any interested team will have to part with draft capital and pay the massive contract.
