Maxx Crosby is staying with the Las Vegas Raiders. Three weeks after a blockbuster deal to Baltimore fell apart at the physical, the five-time Pro Bowler has a new head coach expressing confidence in his recovery and a clear role as the centerpiece of a rebuilding defense.
Crosby underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus on Jan. 7, a procedure that ultimately torpedoed what looked like a done deal with the Baltimore Ravens. The 28-year-old is now working his way back with renewed focus, and first-year head coach Klint Kubiak offered an encouraging timeline at the Annual League Meeting in Phoenix on Saturday.
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Kubiak has seen plenty of Crosby since arriving to lead a franchise coming off a 3-14 season. The work ethic hasn’t wavered despite the trade drama.
“I think I’ve seen Maxx almost every day,” Kubiak said. “He’s in the building every day, he beats a lot of the coaches in there. A really impressive guy. Being a great player is really important to him. You can just tell by the way he shows up. I think John (Spytek) said this, but it’s kind of like he never left. I felt like we picked up another free-agent signing once we got him back from Baltimore. Really excited about him leading our defense.”
The first-year head coach also has no concerns about Crosby’s recovery timeline from the meniscus procedure, which may have contributed to Baltimore balking at finalizing the trade due to medical reasons.
“I know there’s gonna be a point in training camp where we’re going to get him back,” Kubiak said. “I’m not gonna get too much further into that. I think training camp, he’ll be ready to roll. With the way that he works, it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s ready earlier.”
The Ravens agreed on March 6 to send two first-round picks to Las Vegas for Crosby. Four days later, they backed out after their medical staff flagged concerns about a degenerative issue in his knee.
Crosby’s surgeon, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, countered that the two-time All-Pro was progressing well, calling the timing “unfortunate.” But the damage was done. Baltimore pivoted within hours, signing Trey Hendrickson to a four-year, $112 million deal to fill the void.
Crosby’s Leadership Role Takes on New Meaning Under Kubiak
For Crosby, the failed trade created an awkward reentry. He posted an emotional farewell video to Raiders fans on March 7, only to delete it days later when the deal collapsed. The frustration traced back to December, when the team placed him on injured reserve for the final two games despite Crosby wanting to play through pain.
Now he’s asked to lead a defense undergoing significant change. Kubiak promoted Rob Leonard, Crosby’s defensive line coach, to defensive coordinator.
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The scheme will shift to a 3-4 base, and Crosby remains the only proven elite pass rusher on the roster after registering 10 sacks and a career-high 28 tackles for loss in 2025.
The Raiders are expected to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick, beginning a new era in Las Vegas. But Mendoza won’t carry this team alone. Crosby’s presence on the other side of the ball provides the young quarterback with a proven winner who has made five consecutive Pro Bowls and collected 69.5 career sacks.
There’s a lesson in that for a franchise that needs to find its identity. Crosby has played through eight surgeries and missed just seven games across seven seasons. According to PFSN’s EDGE Impact Metric, he finished last season as the second-best edge rusher in the league, behind only Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.
Crosby has been the Raiders’ heartbeat through years of losing. Whatever happens next, he’ll be on the field in September, doing what he’s always done.
