In the wake of Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson’s season-ending leg injury, the team is reportedly still exploring options to bolster their pass rush, with Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby continuing to be a prominent name in trade rumors.
While Raiders owner Mark Davis attempted to quash speculation regarding Crosby’s future on Thursday, rumors linking the three-time Pro Bowler to Detroit have not subsided.
With the Raiders sitting at a disappointing 2-4, questions about Crosby’s future have naturally surfaced.
Crosby, who has amassed 57.5 career sacks, didn’t exactly dismiss the possibility of change when speaking with reporters on Thursday.
“I’m not here to rebuild, I’m here to win. I don’t know, whatever that means … Wherever I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be here to win,” he said.
The 27-year-old pass rusher’s comments have added fuel to trade speculation, with former NFL general manager Thomas Dimitroff even weighing in on what it might take to acquire Crosby.
During an appearance on Infinity Sports Network, Dimitroff suggested that the Lions, currently 4-1 heading into Week 7, should pursue Crosby aggressively.
“This is a situation where you have to come up with two (first-round picks), you might have to come up with a (third-round pick) and something more,” Dimitroff said.
“I just believe it’s going to have to be legitimate and I think it has to have two (first rounders) in it.”
The Lions are currently without a third-round pick in 2025, but they do hold multiple fourth-round selections that could sweeten a potential deal.
Dimitroff, who spent 13 years as the general manager of the Atlanta Falcons, is no stranger to blockbuster trades.
He orchestrated a notable 2011 draft-day trade to move up and select wide receiver Julio Jones, surrendering two first-rounders, a second-rounder, and two fourth-rounders for the future seven-time Pro Bowler.
Crosby, meanwhile, is in the second year of a four-year, $94 million contract extension he signed with the Raiders in March 2022.
He carries a base salary of $24.5 million this season, which decreases to $22.2 million and $18.8 million over the next two seasons.
According to Spotrac, trading Crosby before the NFL’s November 5 trade deadline could save the Raiders $25.3 million in cap space this year, though the team would have to absorb a $15.3 million dead cap hit spread across 2024 and 2025.
With Hutchinson sidelined, the Lions may indeed be motivated to pursue a deal, but the Raiders’ willingness to part with their star defensive end remains uncertain.
In many ways, Crosby has been a perfect Raider. You could make a strong argument that there’s not a single player in the entire NFL that plays harder than he does.
Crosby is loyal and clearly wants to make it work in Vegas. However, he wants to win and with the way things are falling apart in Sin City, the Raiders may look to trade him off if they can get enough in return.
As for the Lions, adding Crosby would be just about the closest thing they could do to fully replace Hutchinson.
While everyone realizes how special of a player Mad Maxx is, there’s a case to be made that he’s still underrated and underappreciated by some.
What are your thoughts on the situation? … Should the Lions pursue the Michigan native?
(Imagine a future with BOTH Hutchinson and Crosby in their prime in Detroit??? … They would have the potential to be the greatest defensive end duo in NFL history.)