Maxx Crosby stayed with the Las Vegas Raiders through the Nov. 10 trade deadline. The team’s only move was trading Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings, despite speculation that the veteran edge rusher could be dealt.
The Raiders are beginning the Fernando Mendoza era, with the rookie quarterback set to make his first regular-season start against the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 15. As the team works to improve, questions remain about whether its veteran players will still be in Las Vegas once the Raiders are ready to contend.
Crosby is under contract through the 2029 season, but NFL insider Jason La Canfora reported that one general manager does not expect him to remain with the team for the length of his deal.
“He was effectively dealt last March,” La Canfora wrote on Nov. 13. “That was a done deal to Baltimore as far as the Raiders were concerned. They aren’t going to get two first-round picks like the Ravens had on the table, but execs think they can get one, plus a day-two pick.
“And with that defense still in deep disrepair, the Raiders are going to need to load up on potential young blue-chip players on that side of the ball. They are still going to be two offseasons away from competing. ‘I don’t think he plays out this contract there,’ one GM told me of Crosby in Vegas.”
## Crosby Responds to Trade Speculation
Before the deadline, Crosby said he was not paying attention to reports linking him to a trade. After the Raiders’ Nov. 8 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, he reiterated his commitment to the team.
“I don’t pay attention to that at all,” Crosby told reporters. “I play for the Raiders; I expect to play for the Raiders, and that’s all that matters to me. I love this team and plan on being here for a very long time.
“There’s always narratives, and there’s always people who supposedly have all this insider information. I speak very clearly because everyone’s got an opinion, but nobody really knows. Everyone who comes out with these random stories out of nowhere is just trying to get attention and generate clickbait. That’s just part of the game.”
Crosby has played 539 snaps for Las Vegas this season and recorded an 85.0 overall defensive grade from Pro Football Focus. His production includes 44 total pressures, five sacks, 24 hurries, 15 quarterback hits, 12 stops and 12 solo tackles.
## Crosby Backs Mendoza Ahead of His First Start
If Crosby remains part of the Raiders’ long-term plans, he could help mentor Mendoza as the rookie takes on a leadership role at the NFL level. Ahead of Mendoza’s first regular-season start, Crosby expressed confidence in the No. 1 overall pick.
“I think Fernando is going to do incredible, and I love Fernando,” Crosby said on Nov. 12. “He is a great kid; he is going to do an awesome job, and I really do love the way he operates every day [and] he has a smile on his face all the time. He brings joy to the locker room, and I think he is going to do an amazing job.”
