The timing matters. Hours before Jeanty spoke with PFSN, Crosby himself appeared on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” from the Raiders’ facility, wearing team gear, and laughed off the trade chatter that dominated Super Bowl week. “Now that I’m quiet, now I got random people making big statements for me,” Crosby told Cowherd. “I just sit back and laugh because I know my truth.”
Two players. Two separate settings. The same word: noise.
Jeanty, Crosby Send the Same Message on Raiders Trade Talk
What Jeanty told PFSN during his recent appearance with USAA Salute to Service carried a different tone than his earlier “Up & Adams” appearance, where he called Crosby “the heart of the defense.” Less emotional, more matter-of-fact. “It’s very important for Crosby to remain part of the team going forward,” Jeanty said. “I don’t know anything behind the talks or anything like that, but obviously that’s … I don’t control any of that.”
#ad Blessed to be able to give back to those who inspire me most. Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient Sgt. Noah Galloway is headed to #SBLX thanks to @USAA and @DAVHQ! Can’t wait to meet you in San Fran, Noah! #SaluteToService pic.twitter.com/woNjf7YlLf
— Deuce 2️⃣ (@AshtonJeanty2) February 1, 2026
FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer reported on Feb. 4 that Crosby has played his final snap as a Raider. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported Crosby wants to play for Patriots coach Mike Vrabel. CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones pegged the trade price at two first-round picks. Yet neither Crosby nor the Raiders have confirmed any trade request.
Jeanty has personal reasons for wanting Crosby around. The five-time Pro Bowler was one of the first people to text Jeanty after the draft, telling him, “Don’t wait to lead.” That advice resonated with a player raised in a military family whose father served in the Navy.
“I learned a lot of things from my dad serving in the military, just being around all these like-minded people, working hard, and there’s so many core values,” Jeanty told PFSN at the USAA event.
That mentality is what connects him to Crosby. Both are high-motor competitors who define themselves through effort. Crosby’s five Pro Bowl selections and 10 sacks in 2025 came on a 3-14 team. Jeanty’s 1,321 scrimmage yards broke Josh Jacobs’ franchise rookie record despite playing behind the league’s worst run-blocking unit, with 88.5% of his rushing yards coming after contact.
Why Klint Kubiak May Be the Real Variable in Crosby’s Future
The trade speculation isn’t baseless. Crosby signed a three-year, $106.5 million extension in March 2025, but the contract was structured with a $30 million base salary in 2026 that would transfer to an acquiring team and only $5.1 million in dead money for Las Vegas. The deal was built to be movable. Crosby also underwent knee surgery in January after the Raiders shut him down for the final two games, a decision he openly disagreed with.
But new head coach Klint Kubiak changes the calculus. The Seahawks offensive coordinator, who can’t officially be hired until after Super Bowl 60, is the first coaching choice that’s generated genuine optimism in Las Vegas in years. The defensive coordinator hire could be pivotal. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported Kubiak could pursue Jim Schwartz, who Crosby is reportedly a fan of, if the former Browns DC becomes available.
Kubiak’s offense finished third in scoring in Seattle and reached the Super Bowl. Pair that with the expected addition of Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 overall and over $91 million in cap space, and the Raiders have a faster path to relevance than the typical rebuild.
Crosby told Cowherd he’s focused on getting healthy. Jeanty called the trade talk noise. Whether the Raiders keep their best defensive player will come down to whether Kubiak and his staff can convince Crosby that Las Vegas is worth his remaining prime years. The front office’s first real test isn’t the draft. It’s the relationship they build with the player who’s been carrying this franchise since 2019.
