Ravens Earn 'A' Grades for Maxx Crosby Trade
On the weekend prior to the start of the free agency frenzy, which begins today with the NFL's legal tampering period, the Ravens shocked the NFL world by reportedly trading for Las Vegas Raiders five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby.
The move sent shock waves not only because the Ravens landed an elite player, but also because they paid the steep price of two first-round picks – one in next month's draft and one next year.
In the 31-year history of the franchise, the Ravens had never traded a first-round pick for a veteran player. It's fair to say that no team in the NFL values its draft picks more than the Ravens.
The prevailing opinion is that acquiring a player of the caliber of the 28-year-old Crosby is worth what the Ravens paid:
Here's a look at how pundits assessed the trade:
USA Today’s Nate Davis: "Grade: A. The Ravens are adding one of the league's premier pressure players at a time when newly hired Head Coach Jesse Minter − whose specialty is defense − can deploy Crosby, whom he knows well from their time in the AFC West together.. … Bottom line, this should be good news for the Ravens, who should be operating from a win-now perspective for the remainder of two-time MVP QB Lamar Jackson's tenure, and bad news for Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow and the remainder of the AFC."
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton: "Grade: A. The Baltimore Ravens did something they had never done in franchise history: trade a first-round pick for a player. They went against the grain at the right time. … With Nnamdi Madubuike recovering from a neck injury, Crosby is clearly the Ravens' best defensive lineman. If they get on the field together, the duo can close games, especially when the Ravens need to protect leads. … In win-now mode, the Ravens will go full speed ahead with Crosby, who could help them rebound from a sub-.500 season."
Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame: "Grade: A. This trade gives Baltimore a great player for the next four seasons. Crosby is signed at cap hits of $30 million, $29 million, $26.5 million and $27.4 million, with all the guaranteed money going on Las Vegas's books. While those are significant numbers, Crosby has long shown he's worth that price."
Sporting News’ Teddy Ricketson: "Grade: A. Baltimore clearly knows the importance of Crosby and upgrading their pass rush. … Two first-round picks are a steep price to pay, especially as Baltimore deals with an aging starting running back in Derrick Henry, and still needs wide receiver help. Still, the 28-year-old pass rusher is in his prime and under contract through the 2029 season."
CBS Sports’ Zachary Pereles: "Grade: A-. Crosby's game should age well. While he is a tremendous athlete, his game isn't solely based on athleticism. He is an absolute force. The injuries (seven games missed over the past two years) are noteworthy but not overly concerning. … After hitting a lot of singles and doubles, GM Eric DeCosta is swinging for the fences. It's the right time to do it. The 2025 season showed the Ravens simply weren't good enough after years of the status quo. In Crosby, Baltimore fixes one of its biggest problems at one of the game's most important positions. Should he deliver and elevate the Ravens in the biggest moments, the cost is irrelevant."
SB Nation’s Mark Schofield: "Grade: A-. Now to be sure, Baltimore could have added a rookie pass rusher with their pick at No. 14. Looking at the current 'consensus big board' as compiled by NFL Mock Draft Database, players such as Keldric Faulk, Akheem Mesidor, and Cashius Howell could have been options for the Ravens in that spot. But while all three players have potential, Crosby is a proven commodity, and one of the league's elite pass rushers. A team like Baltimore, that hopes to contend for a division title or more in 2026, can afford to take a big swing like this on a player that they can rely on immediately. And given Baltimore's need along the defensive front, this makes a great deal of sense for them, despite the cost."
The Athletic’s Jeff Howe: "Grade: B+. Applaud the Ravens for taking a swing. They're clearly unafraid of change this offseason after splitting with coach John Harbaugh, and the Crosby acquisition is yet another sign the Ravens won't stand pat after missing the playoffs. If the Ravens get back into contention for the next few seasons and Crosby is a major reason for it, no one will scoff at the price."
Yahoo! Sports’ Frank Schwab: "Grade: B. Baltimore added a fantastic player. The price was significant. … For a team chasing a championship with Jackson, it makes sense. The Ravens got a pass rusher who makes a big difference. Even if it was expensive."
NFL.com’s Kevin Patra: Grade: B-. Crosby can take over games, bamboozling quarterbacks and gobbling up ball-carriers, earning 133 career tackles for loss. He's one of the few players in the league opponents must game-plan to stop. … The cost wasn't cheap, particularly for a player entering his age-29 season who dealt with injuries the past two campaigns. The Ravens' willingness to pay the steep price underscored the market for Crosby and Baltimore's desperation. For a top-heavy roster, not owning key first-rounders the next two years is a big gamble. But it's one that the organization was comfortable making for a game-changing player at a premium position. It's the type of move teams coming off disappointing seasons make."
ESPN’s Seth Walder: "Grade: C. Crosby will turn 29 prior to next season. That means we should expect he's in the tail end of his prime; he should have a couple very good years left but decline could start to set in soon. He won't be the same forever for Baltimore. The Ravens are better today than they were yesterday, and the fact that they are Super Bowl contenders – and increased their chance to win it by making this move – helps. But there is a cost here that they'll pay for years to come. And the history of teams trading two first-round picks for non-quarterbacks is not great. … As tempting a move as it is to make – and fully understanding Crosby could be the player who puts the Ravens over the top – I have a hard time thinking this is the optimal move for Baltimore."
ESPN’s Ben Solak: "As with all trades that include multiple first-round picks, this is probably a bad idea. It is always safer to draft and develop young, cost-controlled talent. That's the long-term view. It's sober and wise. At this exact moment, I do not care for it, though. I think it's incredibly fun that a player of Crosby's specific skill set has landed on a team like the Ravens, who so desperately need a jolt to get over the AFC playoff hump and appear in a Super Bowl. Crosby is a truly elite player at a premium position, and his presence on the Ravens' defense vaults the team from the middle of a crowded AFC playoff picture to the front on the line."
"Good Morning Football's" Shelby Harris: "[In trading for Crosby] you're setting the culture, you're setting the tone for the season. You're telling everybody that we're not doing this anymore – we're not getting these early playoff exits, we're going for the Super Bowl. That's exactly the message you want to send, especially right before free agency, because you're telling everybody out there, 'Come to Baltimore if you want to win.'"
ESPN’s Jamison Hensley: "Crosby is a perfect fit for Baltimore. There is a saying that is plastered all over the facility: "Play like a Raven," which means demonstrating passion, a high motor and a love for the game. This describes the mindset of Crosby, who makes plays all over the field and rarely takes a break. He has played in over 94% of the Raiders' defensive snaps in four straight seasons. By making such a huge commitment to Crosby in giving up two first-round picks, the Ravens demonstrated that they believe he will not only mesh with the defense but lead it."
Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr: "The Ravens' evaluation of Crosby had to be outstanding, and part of me wonders if this statistic held any particular weight for the analytically minded Ravens: Over the past two seasons, Baltimore's defense held a lead for almost twice as many snaps as the Raiders' defense. And while that doesn't mean we can double Crosby's impressive numbers, it does mean that he was successfully pass rushing in the worst pass-rushing situation in the NFL."
How Will Crosby Trade Affect Salary Cap, Tyler Linderbaum's Future?
The Ravens can cross "add game-changing edge rusher" off their offseason to-do list, but there is still work to do in terms of addressing other positions of need and getting their salary cap situation in order.
"The Ravens can mercifully cross edge rusher off their list of needs, but they now are short two significant assets and a chunk of cap space that were earmarked for plugging holes along the offensive and defensive lines and in the secondary," The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec wrote. "There's heavy lifting to be done on the roster and creativity required to make it all work without the team's next two first-round picks and considerable cap space."
As has been well-documented, Jackson's contract is the key to it all, whether it's an extension, which is the preferred option, or a restructure.
"There is really only one move the team should be making right now: giving their starting quarterback, Lamar Jackson, a contract extension," Sports Illustrated’s Anthony Miller wrote. "All the talk this offseason has been about a monstrous $74.5 million cap hit the Ravens are facing with Jackson for the 2026 season and 2027 as well."
A potential restructuring of Crosby's contract once the trade becomes official would provide cap relief as well.
How the Crosby trade affects center Tyler Linderbaum's future is a big question.
DeCosta said at the Combine that the Ravens had made the three-time Pro Bowler a "market-setting offer," but an agreement hasn't been reached with the zero hour nearly upon us.
A significant development in the center market occurred on Saturday when the Buffalo Bills reportedly re-signed Connor McGovern, who was regarded as the second-best free agent center.
"My understanding is Linderbaum's camp is shooting for $25 million per year, which would be a whopping 38% increase on the $18 million per year that the Chiefs' Creed Humphrey got in 2024 to become the NFL's highest-paid center," Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer wrote. "I'm not sure if Linderbaum will get there. However, I'd expect the Commanders, Raiders and Browns all to be in the bidding, and the tenor of it would affect a bunch of other teams, as well.
"One example was the Chargers, whose GM Joe Hortiz was in Baltimore when Linderbaum was drafted, signing Commanders C Tyler Biadasz to a three-year, $30 million deal after Bradley Bozeman retired. That's more, on a per-year basis, than Biadasz was making in Washington. Another example was the Bears trading for Patriots center Garrett Bradbury after the surprise retirement of Drew Dalman."
Ja'Marr Chase Is Livid About Ravens Landing Crosby
While Ravens fans are rejoicing about the addition of Crosby, quarterbacks on the other AFC North teams can't be thrilled about facing the game-wrecker two times a season.
Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase isn't happy about either.
Chase went on a profanity-laced rant on Twitch Live after he was informed of the trade via text from Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Chase's comments were too explicit to print, but you can listen to the not-safe-for-Late for Work tirade here.
Chase's explosive reaction is understandable. Not only did an AFC North rival's defense get better and scarier, but the Bengals are expected to lose their star edge rusher, Trey Hendrickson, in free agency.
The Bengals reportedly had interest in trading for Crosby.
"The Bengals, on the verge of losing Trey Hendrickson in free agency, were another latecomer to the party," Breer wrote. "By then, over a quarter of the league's 32 teams had shown some level of interest in Crosby, with a few others that he had less interest in going to throwing their hats in the ring as well."
Crosby Addition Should Be a Boon for Mike Green
Crosby is a force multiplier, and perhaps no Ravens player will benefit more from his presence than second-year outside linebacker Mike Green.
"Crosby's entering the picture will only help Green in a multitude of ways," Miller wrote. "One, it gives the Ravens a mentor for Green to learn from, and who better than one of the top five edge rushers in the NFL?
"It should also free up some opportunities for Green to get more sacks. Many offenses are going to key in on Crosby and double-team him so he doesn't get to the quarterback. Green should have plenty of opportunities to eat and pick up more sacks."
Re-Signing Tyler Huntley Is an 'A+' Move
The Ravens took care of another order of business over the weekend by reportedly re-signing backup quarterback Tyler Huntley to a two-year deal worth up to $11 million.
Baltimore Beatdown’s Zach Canter gave the retention of Huntley, who went 2-0 as a starter when Jackson was injured last season, to keep the Ravens' playoff hopes alive, an "A+."
"He's simply the perfect backup for Lamar Jackson, both on and off the field with their connections," Canter wrote. "Snoop has grown from his first stint in Baltimore, traveling to a couple teams before he returned. He looked much more settled and in command on the offense, driving the unit with force and decisiveness. On a cheap 2-year $5M deal, this is an absolute A+ from the Ravens."
