The Chicago Bears had an impressive 2025 season, winning the NFC North for the first time since 2018 and winning their first playoff game since 2010. Aided by the development of quarterback Caleb Williams, the team was close to making the NFC Championship Game; despite the loss, the future is bright.
A few holes remain on the roster, including the lack of a consistent pass rusher. But a proposed trade could land a superstar EDGE in Chicago.
Blockbuster Trade Idea Sees Maxx Crosby Joining the Chicago Bears
The Bears will be on the market for another pass rusher. A 2023 trade to acquire Montez Sweat worked as expected, but they still ranked as No. 22Â in our PFSN’s NFL Defense Impact Metric, mostly due to the lack of a consistent pass rush, even though they led the league with 33 takeaways.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler predicted Chicago as the perfect landing spot for a disgruntled star pass rusher. Fowler proposed a trade with Maxx Crosby going to the Chicago Bears, with DJ Moore, a first-round pick (2026), and a third-round pick (2027) going to the Las Vegas Raiders.
“The Bears must upgrade a defensive line that tied with the Bengals for last in pass rush win rate last season (28.8%). The presence of Crosby would elevate a team on the cusp of being a contender after reaching the divisional round in coach Ben Johnson’s first year with the team.”
The Raiders are unlikely to be contenders in 2026. Las Vegas holds the first overall pick, with Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza the overwhelming favorite to be selected. They are entering one more rebuilding period: Klint Kubiak was hired to be their new head coach following Pete Carroll’s dismissal.
Crosby wanted to remain as part of the Raiders’ rebuild in recent years. However, the team decided to shut him down for the final two games of the 2025 season, looking to lose those games and protect the first overall pick. He was unhappy with the decision, and the relationship between the two sides doesn’t seem to be at its best.
Crosby signed a three-year, $106.5 million contract extension in 2025. The Raiders would save $30.7 million in cap space if he’s moved, with the Bears adding this amount to their salary cap. $85.7 million will also be spread in cap hits for the subsequent three years, but at this point, none of the money is guaranteed.
Our PFSN’s NFL EDGE Impact Metric is bullish on Crosby. He was ranked as the No. 2 player in the position in 2025, with an impressive grade of 95.3. Chicago had a great 2025, but the team was still a few players away from truly competing for a championship. Crosby’s addition would represent a massive step forward in this direction.
