Arguably, the biggest storyline this offseason has been Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby. The defensive end has been rumored to be eyeing an exit from Vegas for a while now, and that exit seemed to have materialized when a deal was reached to trade him to the Baltimore Ravens. However, despite the teams having agreed on trade terms, the Ravens suddenly pulled out, drawing significant backlash from the NFL community.
What did some of the league’s insiders think about it?
NFL Insiders Slam Ravens After Maxx Crosby Trade Falls Through
The Ravens were reportedly prepared to offer their first-round picks this year and next to acquire Crosby. But after the agreement was made public, the pass rusher failed his physical four days later, and the Ravens went on to sign former Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (86.4 PFSN EDGE Impact).
The situation’s controversial nature drew plenty of skepticism, with league executives and agents weighing in.
“Having not seen (Crosby’s) MRI, it is hard to tell, but it definitely feels like buyer’s remorse,” one team executive said, via The New York Times.
“Bad business” was the common theme in the discussion of the Ravens’ move.
On the other hand, the executive called the terms of the deal “out of character” for the Ravens, who had never before traded a first-round pick for a player.
“The fact that they were conservative on the physical is more aligned with how they are as an organization,” the executive added.
Another executive is convinced the Ravens preferred Hendrickson, for whom they wouldn’t have to shell out draft capital like they would if they traded for Crosby. However, there was no certainty they’d outbid other teams in free agency.
“If they could not get Hendrickson, they were going to go through with the Crosby trade, in my opinion,” the executive said. “They were willing to pay that premium in draft choices as insurance.”
While cultivating healthy relationships with other front offices certainly has its value, at the end of the day, teams always act in their own best interest.
“It’s not a good look for the Ravens,” a veteran agent said. “But I don’t think they care.”
The Ravens got a pass rusher to anchor the defensive line for at least a few more years, and the team gets to keep invaluable draft capital. Still having a 2026 first-round pick at their disposal, they could potentially bolster the D-line even further with a prospect like Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods.
How the Ravens’ offseason plays out remains to be seen.
