Maxx Crosby Next Team: Where Will He Play in 2026?

Rebuilding in the NFL is rarely straightforward. It gets even more complicated when a team’s best players aren’t fully bought in.

That may be the situation facing the Las Vegas Raiders. Ongoing league chatter has linked Maxx Crosby to potential trade discussions, with questions swirling about his long-term fit as the franchise reshapes its roster.

The Raiders haven’t publicly committed to moving Crosby, but sources around the league suggest they’re at least open to listening. The five-time Pro Bowler has posted double-digit sacks in four separate seasons and remains one of the most disruptive defensive linemen in football – exactly the type of player rebuilding teams often have to make hard decisions about.

With that in mind, here are the key questions surrounding Crosby as his future in Las Vegas comes into focus:

🌍 Where does Maxx Crosby currently play?

Crosby has spent his entire seven-year NFL career with the Raiders, who landed one of the true steals of the 2019 draft by selecting him out of Eastern Michigan in the fourth round (No. 106 overall).

He made an immediate impact during the franchise’s final season in Oakland, posting 10 sacks, forcing four fumbles, and recording 47 total tackles while finishing second in AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.

Crosby then started every game over the next four seasons, earning three Pro Bowl selections and piling up 42 sacks during that stretch.

Injuries limited him to 12 games last year, though he still earned another Pro Bowl nod. He returned to play the first 15 games of the 2025 season and again reached double-digit sacks, but was placed on injured reserve ahead of the Raiders’ Week 17 matchup against the New York Giants – a move that reportedly didn’t sit well with Crosby.

🔮 Why is Maxx Crosby’s future being discussed?

Earlier this season, Raiders principal owner Mark Davis publicly dismissed the idea of trading Maxx Crosby, even as Las Vegas struggled through another uneven campaign.

That stance appears to have softened following the team’s decision to shut Crosby down late in the season. Since then, league reports have suggested the relationship has cooled enough that the Raiders would at least consider a trade (provided the return makes sense).

Significant change is already coming in Las Vegas. The Raiders are expected to pursue upgrades across several positions this offseason, aided by holding the [DRAFT POSITION] pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.

While the situation hasn’t reached a breaking point, the timing of the dispute, paired with a broader organizational reset, has introduced uncertainty that didn’t exist earlier in Crosby’s tenure.

💰 What is Maxx Crosby's contract situation?

Maxx Crosby is under a three-year, $106.5 million contract extension with the Las Vegas Raiders, a deal that was finalized in March 2025. The extension carries an average annual value of $35.5 million, placing Crosby among the highest-paid defensive players in the NFL.

The contract includes a significant guaranteed component (north of $90 million) which underscores the Raiders’ commitment to Crosby as a franchise cornerstone on defense. The structure keeps him under team control through the 2029 season, barring any future renegotiation or restructuring.

From a roster and cap perspective, the deal represents a long-term financial commitment, making an outright release unrealistic without substantial dead-cap consequences. Any future movement involving Crosby would almost certainly need to come via trade rather than a clean separation, given both the contract size and his importance to the Raiders’ defense.

🕗 When could Maxx Crosby realistically change teams?

The Raiders are expected to exhaust every avenue to repair their relationship with Crosby before seriously exploring a trade, a process that could stretch into the 2026 preseason or beyond. If that’s the case, any potential deal would likely bleed into the start of the regular season—and with in-season trades remaining rare, the most probable outcome would be Las Vegas standing pat.

The alternative is a faster resolution. If the relationship proves irreparable, the Raiders would be motivated to move Crosby before the NFL Draft, allowing them to immediately convert a return package into rookie talent that could contribute right away.

If no deal materializes before the draft, it becomes increasingly difficult to envision Crosby being moved at all, barring a further breakdown in the relationship.

⚙️ What factors would influence a Maxx Crosby move?

The biggest variable in any potential Crosby trade is simple: whether he still wants to be in Las Vegas.

Prior to the decision to place Crosby on injured reserve ahead of Week 17, neither side had shown any appetite for a deal, and there’s little indication this tension has been building over an extended period. While Crosby was reportedly unhappy with the move, it’s entirely possible that some distance and a full offseason cool things down.

The only other meaningful factor is the market itself. If Crosby were made available, the Raiders would need to be comfortable with the return. Given his résumé as one of the league’s premier edge rushers, and Las Vegas’ need for reinforcements across the roster, it’s not hard to envision trade frameworks that make sense for both sides.

📋 What types of teams would make sense for Maxx Crosby?

When a player of this caliber becomes available, roster construction is almost beside the point. Nearly every NFL team would have interest in adding an impact edge rusher like Crosby, who has twice led the league in tackles for loss and remains firmly in his prime at 28.

What does matter is price. Any team pursuing Crosby would need the assets to satisfy a Raiders front office likely seeking a significant return. With Las Vegas clearly in a rebuilding phase, youth and draft capital would carry far more weight than veteran-heavy packages.

As a result, teams sitting on deep draft pick reserves profile as the most realistic trade partners if Crosby is ultimately put on the market. Unlike quarterback situations driven by cap mechanics, Crosby’s outlook hinges less on financial constraints and more on timing, relationship management, and draft-capital alignment.

🤔 Is Maxx Crosby likely to still be with Las Vegas in 2026?

There’s no clear way to predict how the relationship between Crosby and the Raiders will evolve over the coming months, which makes any definitive answer elusive.

That said, there was little public friction between the two sides before Las Vegas’ surprising decision to shut Crosby down for the final two games of the 2025 season. This doesn’t resemble the prolonged, public standoffs that typically precede a high-profile exit.

The expectation around the league is that Raiders leadership will attempt to reset the relationship once the season concludes. Absent a further breakdown, the most likely outcome remains Crosby lining up in a Raiders uniform again next season.

📊 What’s the most realistic outlook for Maxx Crosby's next team?

Any team acquiring Crosby would be adding an immediate, top-end upgrade to its defensive front.

Since entering the league, Crosby ranks sixth in the NFL in total sacks (69.5) and leads all players in tackles for loss (133), production that speaks to both his consistency and his overall impact. Quantifying that value precisely is difficult, but in a league defined by narrow margins, players who consistently disrupt games carry outsized importance.

For teams already operating in the league’s upper tier, adding Crosby – assuming the cost doesn’t strip away core starters – could be the type of move that shifts a Super Bowl outlook. With no runaway favorite atop the NFL hierarchy, a trade of this magnitude could help a contender separate from the pack.

❓ Maxx Crosby next team FAQs

Where will Maxx Crosby play in 2026?

While a trade appears to be a possibility given recent reports, it would likely require further deterioration of Crosby’s relationship with the Las Vegas Raiders to become reality. Based on where things currently stand, the more probable outcome is Crosby remaining in Las Vegas for the start of the 2026 NFL season.

Could Maxx Crosby be traded during the 2026 season?

An in-season trade appears unlikely. If tensions between Crosby and the Raiders were to persist or escalate, a move before the NFL Draft or ahead of the season would be far more realistic. It’s difficult to envision this situation lingering deep into the 2026 campaign.

Does Maxx Crosby have a no-trade clause?

No. Crosby does not have a no-trade clause in his contract, meaning the Raiders would not require his approval to complete a trade.

Would Maxx Crosby’s contract make him difficult to trade?

Crosby’s recently signed extension carries an average annual value of $35.5 million, making him the highest-paid edge defender in the NFL. While that number is significant, his production over his first seven seasons suggests the contract would not be prohibitive for teams operating at the top of the market.

Is Maxx Crosby more likely to change teams via trade or release?

There is virtually no chance Crosby is released. If he were to change teams, a trade would be the only realistic path.