The sweepstakes for Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby could reach a head this week, and the Eagles reportedly continue to monitor the five-time Pro Bowler.
Albert Breer of MMQB wrote in the aftermath of the NFL Combine that he would "lean toward a Maxx Crosby trade happening, and maybe this week." It's unclear exactly how involved the Eagles are, but as per usual, Howie Roseman seems to be in the mix for a superstar:
"We should know soon enough which path the Raiders are taking, with teams like Dallas, Chicago, Baltimore, Buffalo, New England, Philadelphia and the Rams keeping tabs on his availability."
Across seven seasons with the Raiders, Crosby has racked up 69 1/2 sacks and 133 tackles for a loss. He's the definition of a player whose motor never stops, which would surely make him an immediate fan-favorite in Philadelphia.
Crosby was frustrated that the Raiders shut him down for the final two games of the regular season. While he wound up having surgery in January to repair a torn left meniscus, he wanted to play out the remainder of the season. The Raiders — influenced at least in part by their desire to secure the No. 1 overall pick — shut him down.
As Breer noted in his story, this just may be a logical exit point for both Crosby and the Raiders. He'll turn 29 before next season. Even if Fernando Mendoza — who will almost certainly be the No. 1 overall pick in April — has a great rookie year, the Raiders are going to struggle to compete for a playoff spot in the loaded AFC West. Crosby has arguably already wasted too much of his peak playing for bad Raiders teams. And the Raiders could acquire draft capital that helps them to give Mendoza a fighting chance early in his career. This is a team coming off of a 3-14 campaign, so basically every spot on the offense outside of tight end is a need.
Giving up the No. 23 overall pick in this year's draft would likely just be the tip of the iceberg if the Eagles are serious about trading for Crosby. However, he's one of the five best edge rushers in the game, and two years after they blew Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs off the field in Super Bowl LIX thanks to an overwhelming pass rush, Roseman and the Eagles might not mind giving up multiple high draft picks to obtain Crosby.
