The 2026 NFL offseason just got spun into full chaos. After the Baltimore Ravens agreed to a deal that would acquire edge rusher Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders, the Ravens backed out late the day before the start of the new fiscal NFL year. This puts Crosby on the market again, and the Seattle Seahawks could be a player?
Not that general manager John Schneider should be expected to aggressively pursue Crosby, but he has also shown in the past that he might explore any move that might improve his team. Seattle is already in need of rebuilding its edge rush group after Boye Mafe agreed to terms with the Cincinnati Bengals. Schneider has also tried to trade for Crosby previously.
Veteran DeMarcus Lawrence might also be thinking of retirement, according to various reports. He is still under contract for two more seasons, though, so any hint that he might call it a career shouldn't be driven by money. He might simply be satisfied after a career of good production, several Pro Bowls, and finally winning a Super Bowl, which he did this past season.
Seattle Seahawks could pursue a trade for Maxx Crosby after the Ravens created a mess
To get Crosby, one would expect the Raiders to ask for the same value they were set to get from the Ravens: Two first-round draft picks. For Seattle, that might be doable. The team's pick in this year's first round isn't until No. 32, so a transformative player would not be expected to be chosen then.
Next year's draft is unknown, of course, and will depend on how successful the Seahawks are next season. Adding Crosby would obviously help with that.
The Ravens appeared to be iffy about the health of Crosby's meniscus, which he had surgery on recently. The problem with that thinking is that the edge rusher only fully got off crutches a week ago, but, according to reports, was ahead of schedule in his rehab. One important part to note is that the season doesn't begin until September, so Crosby still has six months to get ready for Week 1.
Seattle might also have another way into the trade. Klint Kubiak is the Las Vegas Raiders' new head coach, but, of course, he was the Seattle Seahawks' offensive coordinator in 2025. He knows the players well, and if Vegas takes a first-round pick, a second-round pick, and a player, Kubiak would have a sense of who would help his new team.
The Raiders may have to do something, though. They have already agreed in principle with a bunch of free agents and cannot afford them all, while also paying Crosby, who has a guaranteed salary of $30 million in 2026. They have been put in a predicament that might force them to let Maxx Crosby go for less than two first-round selections.