🔥 HOT NEWS: The Crosby Line Has Been Drawn—and It Changes Everything for the 49ers ⚡.DH

The San Francisco 49ers didn’t just lose in the playoffs—they were exposed.

A 41–6 divisional-round blowout at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks ended a season that had already tested the roster’s depth and durability. Injuries piled up.

None mattered more than the loss of Nick Bosa, whose ACL tear left a visible void on the edge.

Now, the path forward is becoming clearer—and more expensive.

According to projections from CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan, the Las Vegas Raiders’ asking price for Maxx Crosby has effectively been set: a first-round pick and a second-round pick.

Not cheap. Not subtle. And not accidental.

Why the Number Matters

Elite edge rushers rarely move. When they do, they reset markets.

Sullivan points to last summer’s Micah Parsons blockbuster—where Green Bay sent two first-round picks plus Kenny Clark to Dallas—as the benchmark.

Crosby, who will enter his age-29 season in 2026, likely commands slightly less than that historic haul. But “slightly less” still hurts.

Crosby is under contract through 2029, with $30 million in guarantees remaining, most of it tied to 2026. That structure gives acquiring teams flexibility: pay the price, then extend him on your terms.

In other words, this isn’t a rental. It’s a commitment.

Why the 49ers Are Being Mentioned

San Francisco’s defensive identity has long relied on pressure without blitzing. With Bosa healthy, it’s devastating. Without him, it’s vulnerable.

Pairing Crosby with Bosa—when Bosa returns—would instantly restore fear.

Even alone, Crosby changes protections, dictates play calls, and manufactures chaos on his own. For a team that believes its Super Bowl window is still open, the appeal is obvious.

The question is whether the 49ers can stomach the cost.

How the Speculation Began

Crosby’s future in Las Vegas has been under a microscope since the end of the 2025 season. After playing through a knee injury, he was shut down late in the year.

Reports indicated he was unhappy with the decision and left the facility—fueling league-wide speculation.

Nothing illegal. Nothing confirmed. But in the NFL, perception is momentum.

Now, with a new Raiders regime resetting priorities and holding the No. 1 overall pick, the logic of converting a veteran star into premium draft capital becomes hard to ignore.

What the Raiders Are Really Signaling

By floating an asking price this high, Las Vegas is doing two things at once:

Testing the market—to see who’s truly desperate.

Protecting leverage—because elite pass rushers don’t depreciate quietly.

If a team balks, the Raiders keep Crosby. If a contender bites, they accelerate a rebuild with blue-chip assets.

Either outcome works.

Why This Feels Like a Moment

For the 49ers, the calculus is brutal but simple. Draft picks are hope. Crosby is certainty.

After years of getting close—then watching seasons unravel on health and pressure—San Francisco knows what it’s missing. The league knows it too. That’s why the price is what it is.

A first. A second. And the willingness to bet that one player can tilt the balance.

Whether the 49ers pull the trigger remains unknown. But the guessing game is over.

The cost is clear.
The window is shrinking.
And Maxx Crosby has become the kind of decision that defines a franchise’s next five years.