Though Maxx Crosby has never requested a trade from the Las Vegas Raiders, speculation has swirled for the last few seasons as the team continues to struggle to win games. Once the Raiders gave Crosby a historic contract in the offseason, it seemed like trade speculation would die, but that hasn’t been the case.
With Las Vegas starting 1-4 and heading in the wrong direction, there’s been renewed trade talk surrounding Crosby’s name. If the Raiders made him available, there would be no shortage of teams interested.
He’s one of the best defensive players in the NFL and could help pretty much every team in the league. He’s the face of the Raiders, so they won’t give him up without getting a haul in return. That said, former NFL general manager and ESPN analyst Mike Tannenbaum believes that Crosby could be had without a team having to give up a first-round pick.
“This one’s a no-brainer: Maxx Crosby for a second and a fourth-round pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers,” Tannenbaum said on ESPN’s “Get Up.”
When pressed about the asking price being too low, Tannenbaum cited durability concerns as to why the Raiders shouldn’t expect a first-round pick in return.
Raiders Would Never Accept Tannenbaum’s Trade Pitch
Just to get this out of the way, Tannenbaum’s trade pitch makes zero sense whatsoever. In what world do the Raiders give up an All-Pro 28-year-old pass rusher without getting at least one first-round pick in the deal? Micah Parsons just got the Dallas Cowboys two first-round picks and a Pro Bowl player.
Some would argue that Crosby is a better player than Parsons, but even if he isn’t, that doesn’t mean he’s worth a fraction of the price. The only reason the Raiders would even consider trading their best player would be to stock up on assets to build toward the future.
A second and fourth round pick does not move the needle at all. The Buccaneers make some sense as a possible trade partner, as minority owner Tom Brady used to play there and general manager John Spytek worked there for years, but they aren’t going to give them a discount for one of the premier defenders in the NFL.
Will Crosby Want a Trade?
Crosby has openly talked about how he wants to spend his whole career with the Raiders. He’s been through a lot of ups and downs with the team, and wants to be part of the franchise when they start winning again.
However, he’s also very competitive and wants to win. The Raiders haven’t won a playoff game since the 2002 season, when Crosby was five or six years old. Even Super Bowl-winning head coach Pete Carroll can’t seem to figure out how to turn the franchise around.
Crosby only has so many years left of being in his athletic prime. If the Raiders lose to a bad Tennessee Titans team in Week 6 at home, it’s easy to see the defensive end getting more frustrated. Las Vegas likely doesn’t make a trade unless Crosby asks for one, but those thoughts are probably starting to creep into his head.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Former GM Pitches Absurd Maxx Crosby Trade to Tom Brady’s Old Team appeared first on Heavy Sports.