Earlier this summer, the Las Vegas Raiders finally put an end to the long-discussed rumors by trading Maxx Crosby. Then, the Baltimore Ravens backed out of the deal reportedly due to medical concerns.
Now Crosby is ready to run it back with a new coaching staff. The Raiders have since strengthened the roster around their franchise cornerstone and are starting to look more like a team ready to contend in the near future.
Could they accelerate that rebuild with a blockbuster trade addition?
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Two key figures involved at the top of the Raiders’ food chain are minority owner Tom Brady and general manager John Spytek. Interestingly enough, both come from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where they won a Super Bowl together.
Who else did they win a ring with?
Newly disgruntled defensive tackle Vita Vea, who requested a trade from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday, also won a ring with Brady and Spytek. Nearly immediately after, the Raiders were a team mentioned as a potential landing spot for the two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle.
Then, Carter Bahns of CBS Sports poured a bit more fuel on the Vea to Raiders rumors by acknowledging Vea’s rumored interest in Las Vegas and pointing out the close proximity to his home base.
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“Vea is rumored to have an interest in the Raiders, and the fit makes plenty of sense,” Bahns argued.
“While Las Vegas is building around a young core, it still needs a veteran presence on the interior defensive line to become more competitive in 2026. Pairing Vea’s run-stopping prowess with the pass-rushing beast that is Maxx Crosby would make the Raiders’ defensive front significantly more well-rounded and would thus take some pressure off the young offense. This trade would also move Vea much closer to home, considering he hails from Northern California.”
Las Vegas is much closer to California than Tampa Bay. Plus, he’d have the added comfort of having two supporters like Brady and Spytek in the building.
However, Vea reportedly wants a trade from the Buccaneers so he can get paid more. Currently entering the final year of his contract, Vea has a cap hit of $22.2 million in 2026. Any team looking to trade for him would have to address his contract situation.
Yet, Vea is coming off a bit of a ‘down’ season by his standards, finishing with a PFN Impact Score of 78.6, ranking 25th among DTs. That’s a drop-off from when he ranked 15th in 2024. Perhaps the Buccaneers feel Vea’s play is on the decline, which may be why they’ve been unwilling to meet his price at the negotiation table.
While the Raiders weren’t able to recoup two first-round picks by trading Crosby, they now have the opportunity to be the aggressive team in adding another defensive cornerstone to play next to their five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher.
