Raiders have a tough decision to make regarding Maxx Crosby's future now that trade was nixed

A deal isn’t a deal until it’s official.

The Las Vegas Raiders learned that hard lesson Tuesday night when the Baltimore Ravens backed out of a blockbuster trade for star edge rusher Maxx Crosby.

A person with knowledge of Baltimore’s decision told The Associated Press that Crosby failed his physical. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because those results are private.

Crosby underwent surgery in January to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. He missed the final two games of the season because of the injury despite wanting to play through it at the time.

Crosby’s surgeon, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, told ESPN that Crosby is “doing very well in the early part of his rehab and recovery from surgery to treat a significant meniscus tear and the related stress injury to the bone and cartilage in his knee. He is certainly on track in his planned program.”

The Ravens obviously weren’t comfortable with Crosby’s medical report, especially with two first-round picks at stake.

They quickly pivoted to four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, agreeing on a $112 million, four-year deal, a person with knowledge of that contract told the AP. That person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract can’t be finalized until the start of the league year at 4 p.m. EDT.

NFL teams have committed billions of dollars on free agents and players acquired in trades since the start of the legal tampering period on Monday.

However, none of the transactions can be finalized until the new league years begins. That means trades can be nixed and free agents can change their minds. It’s all business.

In 2015, running back Frank Gore agreed on a contract with the Philadelphia Eagles only to sign with the Indianapolis Colts two days later.

Gore was a veteran pursuing a team with Super Bowl aspirations. After he accepted Philadelphia’s offer, the team traded quarterback Nick Foles and let star wide receiver Jeremy Maclin sign with Kansas City. So Gore backed out of the agreement.

The Ravens previously nixed deals with defensive tackle Michael Brockers in 2020 and wide receiver Ryan Grant in 2018 for similar reasons, while the Raiders did the same in 2014 with a deal with free agent offensive lineman Rodger Saffold.

Baltimore now keeps the 14th overall pick in next month’s draft and hopes Hendrickson can produce the way he did before his injuries last season.

Meanwhile, the Raiders have to figure out what to do with Crosby after his relationship with the team seemingly deteriorated. It’s possible part-owner Tom Brady can help mend fences between Crosby and the organization. New coach Klint Kubiak wasn’t there last season when things fell apart and general manager John Spytek said all along he’d prefer to keep the superstar pass rusher. Crosby was back in the team building Wednesday, a person with knowledge said. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Raiders aren't publicly discussing the situation beyond a statement released Tuesday night.

The Raiders have been aggressive in free agency, committing more than a quarter-billion dollars to three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum, linebackers Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean, wide receiver Jalen Nailor and other players.

Because they entered free agency with nearly $112 million in salary cap space, according to overthecap.com, they could absorb Crosby’s cap hit. He signed a three-year extension a year ago worth $106.5 million, with $91.5 million guaranteed, that briefly made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in league history.

If the Raiders still want to move Crosby, it’ll be difficult to get the same return now that he has a medical red flag. They may have to wait until he’s further along in his recovery or settle for a trade that includes conditions. Perhaps they get a second-round pick that converts to a first if Crosby plays a set number of snaps and a third that becomes a second. Teams can be creative.

Maybe the Eagles, Bears, Bills, Jaguars or another team pursue Crosby. It’ll come down to what Las Vegas is willing to accept. The rebuilding Raiders have several new additions and are expected to select Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the draft.

Are they better with Crosby in 2026? Yes. Will they be better off without him? Depends on the return.

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