The Baltimore Ravens made one of the biggest splashes of the NFL offseason when they reached an agreement with the Las Vegas Raiders to acquire star edge rusher Maxx Crosby in a blockbuster trade. The deal would have sent two first-round picks, Baltimore’s 2026 first-round selection (No. 14 overall) and its 2027 first-round pick, to Las Vegas in exchange for the All-Pro pass rusher.
Crosby would have immediately addressed one of Baltimore’s most pressing needs. Despite remaining competitive in the AFC, the Ravens’ defense struggled to consistently pressure quarterbacks in 2025. The unit recorded 30.0 sacks last season, the fifth lowest in the NFL, and often relied heavily on blitz packages to generate pressure. Crosby, widely regarded as one of the NFL’s most relentless pass rushers, appeared to be the perfect solution.
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Since entering the league in 2019, Crosby has established himself as one of the most productive edge defenders in football. The five-time Pro Bowler has recorded 69.5 career sacks and 439 total tackles across seven seasons. In 2025, he finished with 73 tackles, 10 sacks and one interception before his season ended due to injury.
However, the highly anticipated deal collapsed on Tuesday after Baltimore conducted a medical evaluation. Crosby had undergone meniscus surgery in January following a late-season knee injury, and concerns about his recovery led the Ravens to rescind the trade. Because the deal required Baltimore to part with two first-round picks, the team ultimately decided the medical risk was too significant to proceed.
On Wednesday, CBS Sports’ Aditi Kinkhabwala reported that the Ravens had already renegotiated Lamar Jackson’s contract to create additional cap space in anticipation of Crosby’s acquisition. Baltimore had been preparing to absorb the three-year, $106.5 million extension Crosby signed with the Raiders in 2025 before the medical concerns forced the team to back out.
The #Ravens renegotiated Lamar Jackson’s contract YESTERDAY to create more cap room, multiple sources tell me.
They were clearly readying to onboard Maxx Crosby – until the medical assessment made the price of two first round picks too risky. https://t.co/D2fovIa3Jp— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) March 11, 2026
Jackson remains the cornerstone of the franchise, and the restructuring does not affect his long-term future in Baltimore. Instead, it now provides the Ravens with additional cap flexibility as they pivot toward other roster upgrades.
With the Crosby trade off the table, Baltimore now enters the next phase of the offseason with a 2026 first-round pick still in hand and newly created salary-cap room. The Ravens are expected to continue exploring options to strengthen their pass rush, whether through free agency, another trade, or the upcoming NFL Draft.
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