As the 2025 NFLseason came to an end, the Las Vegas Raiders found themselves in a period of uncertainty, with considerable attention focused on defensive end Maxx Crosby. The franchise’s cornerstone, Crosby holds a $106.5 million contract and is central to the team’s future plans. Insiders report that if the Raiders decide to part ways with him, they will require a trade return equivalent to the blockbuster Micah Parsons deal, emphasizing the rarity and value of Crosby on the market.
Trade Value Compared to Micah Parsons Exchange
NFL analyst Jordan Schultz has been explicit about the Raiders’ expectations: any offer must mirror the magnitude of last summer’s trade involving Micah Parsons. Sports reporter Dianna Russini confirmed this stance, remarking,
“The only way the Raiders move Crosby is there if they command somewhere along the line of a Micah Parsons package.”
To put this in perspective, the Dallas Cowboys traded Parsons to Green Bay in exchange for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round draft selections in 2026 and 2027, followed by Parsons signing a record four-year, $186.5 million contract. The Raiders are holding out for a comparable haul — not casual negotiations involving mid-round picks but premium draft assets and multiple high-value players that would cause front office executives to seriously deliberate the offer.
Despite this tough stance, the Raiders may ultimately decide against trading Crosby. Schultz noted,
Image of: Maxx Crosby
“All I know is that Klint Kubiak is in the business of having good players and so is John Spytek and so is Tom Brady and right now Maxx Crosby is their best player, so to me it would make sense to keep him,”
reflecting the franchise’s possible inclination to retain their star pass rusher.
Frustrations Amid a Challenging 2025 Season
The tensions around Crosby’s future are not without foundation. In the closing stages of the 2025 season, after a 3-14 campaign, the Raiders chose to sit Crosby out of the final two games. While officially a move to protect his health — recovering from an injury he sustained playing through most of the season — it also coincided with the team’s apparent focus on securing the No. 1 overall draft pick.
In response to the swirling trade rumors, Crosby expressed his mindset on the Let’s Go podcast bluntly:
“I don’t give a (expletive) about the pick, I don’t play for that,”
followed by,
“That’s not my job. My job is to be the best defensive end in the world, and that’s what I focus on every day.”
His comments revealed a competitive drive focused solely on personal performance rather than organizational struggles.
Crosby’s Perspective and Resolute Focus on Winning
Later conversations during the same podcast offered a composed Crosby recovering from meniscus surgery, who appeared to be reassessing rather than preparing to leave. He dismissed rumors and external speculation, stating,
“People are gonna have rumors… For me, I know what I’m about. I know what I represent… I know my truth. And I don’t need to sit here and keep rehashing it to people that don’t know what’s going on. So, I don’t even waste time with it,”
affirming his focus amid ongoing uncertainty.
Despite this, Crosby made no secret of his ultimate goal: to win. That objective remains at tension with the Raiders’ tough posture, as the team clearly values Crosby’s on-field impact deeply. The defensive end earned an A grade from PFSN NFL EDGE Impact Metrics with a stellar score of 95.3 in the 2025 season, ranking second among all defensive ends, making him an undeniable asset.
Implications for the Raiders and Future Team Decisions
The Raiders’ steadfast demand for a Micah Parsons-level package suggests that general manager John Spytek and head coach Klint Kubiak, alongside executive Tom Brady, are unwilling to part ways with Crosby unless they receive an extraordinary offer. This insistence signals a broader strategy centered on building a winning roster around premier talent.
However, given the Raiders’ disappointing record in 2025 and the interest surrounding the No. 1 overall pick, the organization faces a delicate balancing act. Trading Crosby could accelerate a rebuild by flooding the roster with draft capital, yet keeping him preserves the foundation of their defense. What happens next will hinge on whether other teams are prepared to meet the Raiders’ steep price and if Las Vegas believes loyalty to its star player surpasses the potential advantages of deep draft resources.
"It would make sense to keep him."@Schultz_Report on the trade rumors surrounding DE Maxx Crosby in Las Vegas.
