Derek Carr is one of the many to recently chime in on the Las Vegas Raiders’ rumored interest in trading away Maxx Crosby. He is more familiar with the franchise than most, as he spent most of his career there. The quarterback issued a stern warning about what would result from a potential trade.
Derek Carr Warns Raiders of Consequences if They Trade Maxx Crosby in 2026
The Raiders are currently rebuilding their roster after another disappointing season. Most would agree that Crosby is their best player, which is a reason to keep him around, but also makes him their most valuable trade chip as they look to acquire future assets.
Carr recently spoke about what trading the elite edge player would mean for the Raiders. His take went far beyond Crosby’s production on the football field and described how much they would be losing if they let him go.
“If you trade him, as soon as he leaves your building, there’s not only a hole in your leadership and in the heart and soul of your football team, there’s a hole in your effort. There’s a hole in your accountability. There’s a hole in your defensive end position … You’re not just losing a defensive end if you trade him, you’re losing a lot of aspects of that building,” explained Carr.
The idea of trading Crosby seemed to begin as speculative, but the rumors that he will actually be dealt this year have been intensifying. NFL insider Dianna Russini provided a recent update on the situation.
“Maxx Crosby is drawing serious interest around the league … GMs believe the Las Vegas Raiders are willing to work on a deal,” stated Russini.
Maxx Crosby is drawing serious interest around the league. The Dallas Cowboys are closely monitoring the situation and remain very interested, while the Baltimore Ravens are also a team to watch. GMs believe the Las Vegas Raiders are willing to work on a deal. pic.twitter.com/4csP6MII1e
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 6, 2026
Despite Carr’s stern warning, the Raiders are apparently shopping Crosby and looking to maximize their return package in a potential trade. He believes that this will leave the team without a leader and result in them suffering in many other areas, besides just the production on the football field.
This says a lot, especially considering how dominant he has been as one of the best overall players in the NFL. He has finished either first or second among all edge players in PFSN’s Impact Rankings for four of the past five seasons.
Carr essentially explained that losing statistical contributions would be among the least of the Raiders’ worries, as his leadership may be even more difficult to replace.
