Scott Gulbransen
Let’s clear the air on something before the hot takes harden into conventional wisdom: two first-round picks for Maxx Crosby is a good deal. A really good deal, actually. And if you think John Spytek left money on the table here, you’re either not paying attention or you’re letting emotion drive the analysis.
Yes, Crosby is one of the best defensive players in football. Five Pro Bowls, 69.5 career sacks, double-digit sacks in three of the last four seasons. The man has been an absolute force in a silver and black uniform for seven years while the franchise was collapsing around him. That part is real, and it deserves to be said plainly. Maxx Crosby was too good for the Raiders teams he played on. He poured everything into an organization that gave him losing seasons, five different head coaches, and one playoff appearance to show for it. The respect he earned in Las Vegas is genuine.
But sentiment doesn’t win trades. And the idea that the Raiders could have — or should have — extracted more than two first-round picks for a soon-to-be 29-year-old edge rusher with a history of surgeries and a growing list of grievances with the front office is just wishful thinking dressed up as analysis.
The Market for Maxx Crosby Wasn’t Like Micha Parsons
Look at the market. The Dallas Cowboys, reportedly the closest competitor in the bidding, offered a first-round and a second-round pick. That’s the gap. Baltimore came in with two firsts and cleared the field. The Raiders held firm, got the premium offer, and took it. What exactly were people expecting? Three firsts and a Pro Bowler? That’s not how this works. The Micah Parsons deal, which set the comp bar here, included two firsts and Kenny Clark, but Parsons is 25. Context matters.
Crosby turns 29 in August. He has played at least 94 percent of defensive snaps in four straight seasons, which sounds impressive until you remember that pace eventually grinds players down. He had a knee injury last season that required surgery. His missed tackle rate hit 11 percent in 2025, the highest of his career since his second year in the league. None of this means Crosby is finished, far from it. But it does mean the peak value window on a trade like this is right now, not next offseason when the mileage is even higher and the leverage is even lower. Spytek understood that. His critics apparently don’t.
A Maxx Crosby Divorce was Imminent
There’s also the issue of how things ended and it’s worth being direct about it.
When the Raiders shut Crosby down for the final two games last season to protect the No. 1 pick, he walked out of the facility. He didn’t handle it professionally.
You can understand the frustration, as he’s a competitor who wants to play but is stuck in a lost season. But veterans have managed similar situations without making it a public statement. His reaction made the divorce inevitable and, frankly, accelerated it on terms that weren’t entirely favorable to Las Vegas. When a player makes clear he wants out and the reason is partly the organization protecting its draft position, the leverage shifts. Spytek still got two firsts. That’s the outcome.
Raiders Trade Haul is Key to Faster Turnaround
Now consider what those picks actually mean. The Raiders hold the first and 14th overall selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. They are almost certainly taking Fernando Mendoza at No. 1. The No. 14 pick — the one that came from Baltimore — gives Spytek an immediate opportunity to address a critical need around his new franchise quarterback. Wide receiver, offensive lineman, and edge rusher are all needs. And scouting the draft, there are legitimate options at that range. And the 2027 first from the Ravens adds another premium chip to a rebuild that’s now properly stocked. Las Vegas now has seven picks in the first four rounds of this draft alone. That’s how you build a roster from the ground up.
This is not the Khalil Mack trade. That deal, which included two firsts that produced Clelin Ferrell and Henry Ruggs III, is a legitimate cautionary tale. But different regime, different scouting staff, different circumstances. The past doesn’t automatically repeat itself, and using that trade to dismiss this one is lazy reasoning.
The Raiders didn’t just get two first-rounders. They got two first-rounders for a player who was heading toward the exit anyway, who is approaching 30, and whose career timeline had zero overlap with a rebuild centered around a rookie quarterback. That’s the full picture. Maxx Crosby was a franchise cornerstone for seven years. He deserved better than what Las Vegas put around him. But the Raiders got exactly what they should have for him and now it’s time to build something worth watching.
