Breven Honda
For the first time since the failed Maxx Crosby trade, Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek and head coach Klint Kubiak addressed the fallout publicly — and both sounded like men who came out the other side just fine.
At the NFL’s annual league meetings in Phoenix this week, the two spoke candidly about the five-time Pro Bowl defensive end and what the chaotic sequence of events at the start of free agency ultimately meant for the franchise.
Las Vegas Raiders GM gets an ‘elite’ piece during free agency
Earlier this month, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on March 6 that a trade was in place sending Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for two first-round draft picks. The deal required the new league year to begin on March 11 before it could be made official. But before that could happen, Baltimore backed out — citing concerns about Crosby’s surgically repaired knee — and the pass rusher returned to the Silver and Black.
The timing of that reversal, Spytek said, didn’t disrupt the team’s offseason plan as much as it might seem.
“Just from the timing of it, it really didn’t,” Spytek said. “We did what we did on Monday, and that was Tuesday when it all happened. We had a lot of cap space and a lot of cash made available to us from Mark [Davis] and the ownership group to be aggressive and build the team the best way possible. I’ll echo what Klint said — it was like we got another elite defensive end in free agency the way it worked out.”
Those signings — most notably center Tyler Linderbaum and edge rusher Kwity Paye — came during the legal tampering window, just before the Ravens pulled the plug.
The evolution of a General Manager
Crosby has watched a parade of general managers and head coaches cycle through the organization since being drafted in 2019. Spytek, who has worked to build trust with his star player from the start, said the communication between them has never stopped.
“I’ve had many great conversations with Maxx from the start of my tenure here, and we had many throughout the season,” Spytek said. “We had one right at the end of the season, which everyone knows about. We talked about it in the months leading up to the deal. Maxx and I have continued to have great conversations since then. I know he and Klint have had great conversations, too. We just try to tell each other the truth and not have a lot of mystery or unknowns. Maxx, Klint and I will continue to operate that way.”
Spytek also spoke about the weight of those difficult roster decisions — the ones that affect players beyond the football field.
“Those are all challenging conversations,” Spytek said. “I try to sit in that moment with that person and explain the reasons why we’re doing it, and try to be as honest and forthright as I can. To me, they’re all deep personal conversations because you know how deeply it affects that person. I don’t view them as just a player. This is altering their life.”
Also read: Mark Davis Isn’t Selling the Raiders So Stop Acting Like He Is
Kubiak: “Our team just got better”
Kubiak came to Las Vegas after helping Seattle win the Super Bowl last month, which left him a compressed timeline to assemble his coaching staff — all while watching this trade saga unfold in real time.
He didn’t hide how he felt when Spytek told him the deal was dead.
“Anytime there’s a trade, you always know it could go down that way,” Kubiak said. “Once it happened, I was really excited. When Spy came and talked to me about it, we sat down and my first thing was a smile. ‘Oh, we have Maxx back. You kidding me? That’s great.’ Our team just got better.”
With Paye signed, Malcolm Koonce retained, and Tyree Wilson still in the fold, Las Vegas enters 2026 with legitimate depth along the defensive line. Crosby’s return only strengthens what was already shaping up as a priority area.
The one remaining question is whether Crosby will be on a snap count when the regular season opens. He underwent meniscus surgery in January and is not expected to be fully cleared until this summer.
“Those are things we have to work through,” Kubiak said. “We’ve got to get him healthy enough to practice. I know he’s going to put himself in great position to do that, and there probably will be a conversation about that as we go. Taking the baby steps right now.”
The coach didn’t seem worried about the timeline. He’s seen how Crosby works.
“Maxx is our guy. He’s the leader on defense.”
Also read: Las Vegas Raiders: 5 Second Round Pick Options for GM John Spytek
