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Jackson Powers-Johnson with Maxx Crosby.
After months of speculation and rumors, the Las Vegas Raiders have finally made a decision on defensive end Maxx Crosby. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Raiders have agreed to trade Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens for two first-round picks.
The Ravens started to emerge as one of the strongest candidates for the star pass rusher, and they sealed the deal by seemingly being the only team willing to give up multiple first-round picks.
By losing Crosby, the Raiders don’t only lose their best player, but they’re also losing a guy who was beloved by the locker room. He cemented himself as the leader of the team and face of the franchise.
There are bound to be many big reactions to the Crosby deal, but offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson was the first to respond to the news.
“Truly an honor,” Powers-Johnson wrote on his Instagram story.
Powers-Johnson and Crosby only played two seasons together, but quickly formed a strong bond. The young offensive lineman has the type of personality to help fill the leadership vacuum left by Crosby, but the Raiders are going to need a lot of players to step up. It’s going to be a new era for the Raiders, as this is a clear indication that the team is in a total rebuild.
Was This the Right Move for Raiders?
It’s never easy to move on from a star player like Crosby. The last time the Raiders traded a star pass rusher for two first-round picks ended up being a disaster.
However, there is completely different leadership in place now. If the Raiders can hit on their draft picks, it’ll be a lot easier to forget about Crosby. This is likely the best the Raiders were going to do.
It appears the Ravens were the only team willing to give up multiple first-round picks. Plus, the Ravens pick at No. 14 in the 2026 NFL Draft, so that’s more valuable than a pick in the 20s.
Keeping Crosby in the AFC isn’t ideal, but the Raiders are on a different timeline than the Ravens. If Crosby didn’t want to stay in Las Vegas, this was a wise move for the team to make.
Raiders Now Have Massive Need on DL
Crosby has easily been the Raiders’ best pass rusher for several years now. He’s going to be nearly impossible to replace in 2026. The Raiders are going to have a lot of salary cap space, especially after trading Crosby, so they can afford to spend big on a defensive lineman in free agency.
Jaelan Phillips will likely be on their wish list. Regardless, it’s clear the Raiders don’t think they’re competing for a Super Bowl this season. They’re going to be more methodical in their rebuild.
It’s very possible the Raiders never adequately replace Crosby, but this is better than completely wasting him. He was on pace to become the Raiders’ all-time sack leader and going down as one of the all-time greats in franchise history. Winning ended up being more importatn Crosby than his individual legacy with one franchise.
Austin Boyd has covered the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Lakers for Heavy.com since 2019. A Los Angeles native now based in Las Vegas, his featured work at Heavy includes interviews with NFL stars Darren Waller and Joe Montana, and a behind-the-scenes look at “The Shop.” More about Austin Boyd
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