He stormed out. He threatened retirement. Now the price tag is jaw-dropping.
If anyone wants Maxx Crosby, the Raiders are making them pay — heavily.
The Maxx Crosby saga just escalated.
After months of speculation about the Raiders’ disgruntled superstar pass rusher, the team’s reported asking price has finally surfaced — and it’s not for the faint of heart.
According to NBC Sports’ Mike Florio, Las Vegas wants a return similar to what the Cowboys received for Micah Parsons last year in a blockbuster deal: two first-round picks and a player.
Yes, you read that right.
Two firsts. Plus a player.
And this isn’t Micah Parsons at 26. Crosby turns 29 in August.
The Fallout That Started It All
The tension didn’t appear overnight.
Last season, Crosby reportedly bolted from team facilities in frustration after the Raiders shut him down late in the year — a move widely interpreted as a tanking strategy to secure the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
That decision didn’t sit well with their defensive cornerstone.
Multiple reports suggested Crosby walked out and vowed never to return. One unnamed general manager told Jason La Canfora that Crosby said he would “retire before he ever plays for them again.”
Strong words.
But as history shows, emotions cool. Myles Garrett once made similar declarations — and remained with the Browns.
Now, with the NFL Combine buzzing in Indianapolis, the temperature appears to have dropped slightly.
Raiders Say They Expect Him Back
Raiders general manager John Spytek struck a calm, confident tone when asked whether Crosby would play for Las Vegas in 2026.
“I do,” Spytek said simply. “Yes.”
He didn’t stop there.
“Maxx is an elite player, and I’ve been very upfront from the start when I got here that we’re in the business of having really good players on the team. And we need a lot more of them.”
That’s not the language of a front office eager to move on.
That’s the language of leverage.
Why the Price Is So High
From 2021 through 2024, Crosby graded among the top four EDGE rushers in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. He finished fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2023. Over seven seasons, he has cemented himself as one of football’s most relentless disruptors.
He’s durable. He’s productive. He changes game plans.
And if the Raiders are truly prepared to move him, they’re signaling that it will take a franchise-altering haul.
Two first-round picks and a player is an “exorbitant” cost — especially when compared to Parsons’ age and contract situation at the time of his trade.
But here’s the reality: elite pass rushers don’t hit the market. When they do, desperation drives bidding wars.
The Bigger Picture in Las Vegas
The Raiders are in the middle of a reset.
They fired head coach Pete Carroll and replaced him with former Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. They hold the No. 1 overall pick and are widely expected to select quarterback Fernando Mendoza as they attempt to rebuild one of the league’s weakest rosters.
Trading Crosby could accelerate that rebuild.
Keeping him could stabilize it.
For now, Las Vegas appears to be holding firm — projecting confidence while setting a sky-high bar for any potential suitor.
Because here’s the message the Raiders are sending to the league:
If you want Maxx Crosby, you’re going to have to bleed for it.
And until someone does, the Raiders insist he’ll be right where they expect him in 2026 — in silver and black.
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