Maxx Crosby’s eventual departure from the Las Vegas Raiders moved from “possible” to seemingly “inevitable” this week. That could potentially pay huge dividends for the Seattle Seahawks.
The elite defensive end has always said the right things about wanting to remain a Raider for life, and Raiders officials have remained equally upbeat about holding onto their best defensive player. But this season, things have changed.
The Raiders are currently tied with the Giants for the worst record in the league. Their point differential stands at minus 169, far worse than any other team. They have no long-term plan at quarterback and very few young players around whom to build a team. In other words, the Raiders are not likely to bounce back into playoff contention for several years at best.
Could Maxx Crosby be with the Seattle Seahawks in 2026?
That has to be difficult for the hyper-competitive Crosby, who turns 29 before the start of the 2026 season. The relationship between player and club appears to have suffered a blow this week when the Raiders told Crosby of their intention to hold him out of the final two games due to a knee injury. Apparently, their star player did not agree with this plan.
That has ignited a new round of speculation that Las Vegas might be willing to trade its star this offseason. And the Seattle Seahawks appear to be one of the more logical landing spots.
There is not a club in the NFL that would not want a player like Crosby, but Seattle and Mike Macdonald may value him more than anyone. Macdonald builds his team’s identity around its defense. He wants toughness. He wants competitiveness. He wants versatility.
Maxx Crosby is an every-down player. Barring major injury, he rarely comes off the field. That is one reason he was reportedly so angry about the Raiders’ plans to sit him out for the final two games. He is an elite pass rusher, recording 69.5 sacks in 110 career games.
But he is also an elite run defender. He led the NFL in tackles-for-loss in 2022 and 2023, and would be leading again this season if not for the otherworldly season being produced by Myles Garrett.
Macdonald has constructed a defense that is strong at every level. He has multiple interior linemen and defensive backs capable of game-changing plays. The Seahawks have some fine edge players as well, but no one like Crosby.
DeMarcus Lawrence is having an excellent season, but he will be 34 next year. Boye Mafe is a pending free agent, while Uchenna Nwosu and Derick Hall hit free agency in 2027. All are promising players who have shown flashes of greatness.
With Crosby, you are not settling for flashes. He is great on virtually every play.
What would it take to pry Crosby away from the Raiders? It’s impossible to know, but Seattle does have first-round picks available for trade in upcoming drafts. Since those picks are likely to be late in the round, an additional sweetener may be required.
Would John Schneider give up a couple of first-rounders along with a player like Hall for Crosby? Maybe some later round swaps to balance things out?
In a heartbeat.
Imagine entering the 2026 season with this defensive front - Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II on the inside. Lawrence and Crosby are on the edge. Riley Mills, Jarran Reed, Uchenna Nwosu, and Connor O’Toole as rotational pieces.
That would be an elite front four with two of the most intense edges to ever suit up.
Crosby has an attractive contract. There will be a major bidding war for his services should he become available. But Seattle is in a position to make a bold play. Perhaps John Schneider calls his old friend Pete Carroll – if Carroll is still involved with the Raiders this offseason – and lays the groundwork for a deal that helps the Raiders with their rebuild while making Seattle an even more dangerous contender.
Schneider and MacDonald already have a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Maxx Crosby may just be the final piece in this championship puzzle.