Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider isn't afraid to make training camp roster moves (or even moves in the days before a season begins), so thinking he would dismiss an opportunity to trade for Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby would be incorrect. Schneider will do what he needs to do to make his team better.
Crosby would make Seattle better, and the team is, clearly, already good enough to win the Super Bowl. The question is whether what the Seahawks have to give up is worth adding the edge rusher. One would assume at least one first-round choice would be needed.
Seattle has that, but Crosby's trade value could be less since a deal was worked out between Vegas and the Baltimore Ravens this past offseason before Baltimore backed out at the last minute, citing they were concerned about Crosby's recently surgically repaired knee.
Seattle Seahawks likely wouldn't rule out a trade for the Las Vegas Raiders' Maxx Crosby
The reason might have questionable logic, and maybe the Ravens wanted Trey Hendrickson instead (Hendrickson signed with Baltimore in free agency), but they did the Raiders no favors by telling the rest of the league that their doctors had issues with the health of Crosby. That might be enough to lower any potential trade value. Maybe.
The Ravens were going to give the Raiders two first-round picks, and that seems too rich for the Seahawks. One first-round choice, as well as safety Julian Love, could be enough, however. Love would immediately upgrade a position where Las Vegas needs help.
The safety is still only 28 years old, has played at a Pro Bowl caliber, and has been a great fit in head coach Mike Macdonald's system. Seattle proved it could win at a high level without Love last season, though. He played in only eight games due to a hamstring injury, though he did play late in the season and playoffs, including getting an interception against the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.
Because of Macdonald's brilliance with defense overall, but specifically the secondary, whoever replaced Love in the Pacific Northwest would have a high chance of success. Plus, the Seattle Seahawks selected safety Bud Clark in the second round, and he has the ball-hawking skill set to replace Love long-term.
While losing a first-round pick isn't ideal, te hope is that Seattle's 2027 selection would be late in the round. That makes it easier to give one away. The team also currently has a projected 12 picks next year due to comp picks from free agents lost, and the Minnesota Vikings hired Nolan Teasley from the Seahawks to be their new general manager.
Seattle does have a good edge rusher group currently, though one slightly less versatile than last season. Boye Mafe left in free agency and signed with the Cincinnati Bengals. Mafe was excellent against the run and in quarterback pressure.
To replace the new Bengals player, Seattle signed veteran Dante Fowler Jr. He is more of a pure pass rusher than an elite run-stopper. Even after signing the edge rusher, John Schneider didn't rule out adding another player at the position.
The Las Vegas Raiders might not be publicly shopping Maxx Crosby again, but clearly they wouldn't be against a trade. They were already prepared to part with Crosby in the offseason. Vegas is still in rebuild mode, and adding a first-round pick and a good safety in his prime would seemingly be an option they would like.
One aspect that shouldn't be overlooked is the obviously good relationship between the two franchises. The Raiders have hired former Seahawks in each of the last two years, including hiring former Seattle offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak to be their new head coach. It is those kinds of connections that could smooth a path for Maxx Crosby to play home games in the PNW.
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