Patriots Get Maxx Crosby Trade Pitch as Raiders Face Pressure to Deal Star

Trade discussion surrounding Maxx Crosby has intensified as the Las Vegas Raiders weigh major roster decisions with the NFL season now over. Additionally, the New England Patriots’ pass rush is now under scrutiny after its loss to Seattle, and the New England Patriots have been linked to a trade proposal that would require a significant return.

In New England’s 29-13 Super Bowl loss to Seattle, quarterback Drake Maye and the Patriots offense received the brunt of the criticism. But New England’s pass rush also struggled, registering just one sack and six hits on Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold. Patriots edge rusher Harold Landry was especially ineffective, finishing with only one tackle in the Super Bowl, per ESPN statistics.

Landry’s performance has already contributed to discussion about the Patriots potentially adding a new edge rusher this offseason. In its first post–Super Bowl mock draft, Pro Football Focus projects the Patriots selecting Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor in the first round.

But there is another, more proven alternative — a potential trade for Las Vegas Raiders five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby, who has reportedly told team minority owner Tom Brady that he does not intend to play for the Raiders again.

A new trade proposal from a prominent NFL analyst outlines a potential path to bringing Crosby to New England.

In the trade pitch published this week by Moe Moton of Bleacher Report, Crosby, who has spent all seven seasons of his career with the Raiders — first in Oakland and later in Las Vegas — would be dealt to the Patriots. New England would need to pay a steep price in return, one that could have a significant impact on the franchise’s long-term future.

Patriots Have Cap Space for Crosby
The New England Patriots may have made it to Super Bowl LX largely on the strength of a defense that allowed the fourth-fewest points in the NFL, but the Patriots clearly need help in the pass rush heading into 2026. They placed ninth in passing yards allowed and near the bottom of the league with just 35 sacks.

While numerous teams have been reported to have interest in engineering a trade for the 28-year-old Crosby, the Patriots are one of only 13 who have the salary cap space available to absorb the veteran’s $35.9 million cap hit for 2026.

New England, according to the sports business site Over the Cap, currently has the ninth-most salary cap space available of the NFL’s 32 teams, at $42.7 million.

But according to the Bleacher Report trade proposal, the Patriots would send the Raiders six-year-veteran offensive lineman Michael Onwenu. That would immediately take Onwenu’s $25 million cap hit off the books, except for the $7.5 million in dead cap money attached to the 2020 sixth-round draft pick’s contract.

In other words, the Patriots would reduce their cap space by $18.4 million if they went through with Moton’s proposed trade, still leaving them with $24.3 million to work with even if they made no further moves.

Trade Proposal Carries Big Price in Draft Picks
The Bleacher Report trade pitch does not, of course, stop with Onwenu, who by himself would be far from an adequate price for Crosby.

“From the Raiders’ perspective, guard Mike Onwenu would serve as an interior pass-protector for presumptive No. 1 pick, Fernando Mendoza and fill a need with guard Dylan Parham and interior offensive lineman Jordan Meredith headed for free agency,” wrote Moton. But the Raiders would benefit far beyond the upgrade the Bleacher Report analyst describes.

According to the proposal, the Patriots would send the Raiders their first-round draft pick in this year’s draft — and in the 2027 draft.

Trading away such high draft picks would significantly impact the Patriots attempts to build on their sudden success of 2025. At the same time, the Patriots do not pick until the 31st selection of the first round this year. That’s the price they pay for getting to the Super Bowl. That means their ability to take an impact player with their top pick is already impaired, at least for 2026.

Why Would Raiders Trade Crosby?
The trade proposal also assumes that Crosby wants out of Las Vegas and that the Raiders are willing to accommodate him. That speculation started when Crosby, over his own objections, was placed on injured reserve for the final two games of the season.

By getting out of Las Vegas, Crosby would be moving to a stable situation under 2025 NFL Coach of the Year Mike Vrabel — a coach who Crosby has already expressed a desire to play under — after cycling through four coaches in his career while the Raiders played in only a single playoff game, which they lost.

A trade appears to be good for Crosby, good for the Raiders’ future, and would reinforce the Patriots pass rush. Whether both teams see it that way will likely become clear in the weeks following the Super Bowl.