Maxx Crosby has been surrounded by trade rumors for months. However, they never quite got serious. The Las Vegas Raiders were determined to keep their superstar pass rusher and produce a winner under new head coach Pete Carroll. That has not happened. The Raiders are 2-5 and appear to be one of the NFL's worst teams. They lost 40-6 against Indianapolis three weeks ago and then were crushed 31-0 by Kansas City last week. It's beyond obvious that the team is going nowhere and is in desperate need of revamping. For that, they need draft picks. The easiest way to get them is by trading their best players.
Word has leaked that the Raiders are now seriously considering offers for Crosby. It makes sense. He's 28 years old and still every bit as dominant as he's been for years. His value will never be higher than it is right now. Jeff Hughes of Sports Mockery confirmed the rumors, stating Crosby is available. He also revealed what the price tag will be for the Chicago Bears and any other teams that might be interested.
Maxx Crosby is a stud and the Bears are a viable landing spot.
If and when the Raiders trade him, they will likely prefer sending him somewhere they won't have to play against him. Chicago resides in the NFC and already played Las Vegas last month. The two teams are unlikely to meet again until four years from now. It is a great setup from their perspective. However, there are complications for the Bears. This sort of trade is only made when you're convinced it will turn you into a Super Bowl contender. Yes, they've won four in a row, but are Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson sold on this team being that far along? That seems unlikely.
The Bears' GM has never made a blockbuster trade of this magnitude. In fact, he has spoken out against them, believing that the short-term gain is almost never worth the long-term ramifications. Then there is the money issue. Crosby is signed through 2029 at $29-30 million per year. Chicago is thin on cap space next year ($2.8 million). They don't have any clear ways to find more, other than restructuring current contracts, which creates more long-term problems.
Maybe the Bears believe Maxx Crosby is worth it. There are few players like him in the NFL, but the cost might be too prohibitive.
