Week 17 is here, and it's safe to say that the New England Patriots' 2025 season has been going better than expected. The Patriots are already among the AFC's top threats in Year 1 of head coach Mike Vrabel's tenure, and although the season isn't done yet, some New England fans are already dreaming about how much better the team will get in an offseason where they'll have over $61.7 million in salary cap space to play with, per Spotrac.
With all that money and only six pending unrestricted free agents to address, the Pats are in a perfect spot to make some noise. That's why they should consider pursuing star pass rusher Maxx Crosby, who may have reached the point of no return with the Las Vegas Raiders this week. On Friday, ESPN's Ryan McFadden reported that Crosby walked out of the Raiders' facility after head coach Pete Carroll revealed that he wouldn't play in Week 17.
Considering how the veteran disruptor reportedly "vehemently disagreed" with Carroll's decision, one can deduce that this is the beginning of the end of Crosby in Las Vegas. The Raiders' status as one of the NFL's bottom-feeders has often landed the five-time Pro Bowler at the center of trade rumors, but the latest development could be what forces him to request a trade.
The Raiders might not necessarily want to turn the page on Crosby, but they might not have a choice. Back-to-back seasons of four or fewer wins make Las Vegas prime for a rebuild, and moving its top defensive asset to restock the draft pick cupboard might be too tempting to ignore.
And if that's the case, the Patriots should be ready to pick up the phone.
Patriots Should Be Interested in a Potential Maxx Crosby Trade
Upgrading the pass rush should be one of the Patriots' top priorities this offseason. As of Week 17, New England only has 31 sacks (24th), 103 pressures (T-25th), and a 19.6% pressure rate (25th), cementing its pass-rush unit as one of the worst in the NFL. In other words, it's easy to see why a potential Crosby trade should be appealing.
Even though he hasn't been having his best performance, Crosby has still been an effective disruptor this season. The former Eastern Michigan Eagle is up to 53 pressures (31 hurries, 12 quarterback hits, 10 sacks), 46 solo tackles, and an interception in 15 games this season, marking the third-time in the last four seasons that he'll finish with a double-digit sack total.
For comparison, Harold Landry and K'Lavon Chaisson are currently at 8.5 and 6.5 sacks, respectively. Speaking of which, Chaisson will be a free agent in the offseason, and while he's exceeded expectations this season, the Patriots might not feel comfortable paying him a large sum if they aren't convinced that this year isn't an outlier.
Josh McDaniels' History with Crosby Could Help
Although Crosby represents outside help, he isn't exactly an unknown to the Patriots' coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was the Raiders' head coach for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, which is when Crosby had the most productive two-year stretch of his career, amassing 27 sacks and a pair of top-six AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year finishes. McDaniels wouldn't be in charge of Crosby is New England, but a reunion could motivate the latter to return to his previous form.
Crosby's presence would also open the door towards easier matchups for the Patriots' other defensive linemen. A fully healthy D-line anchored by Crosby, a healthy Milton Williams, and Christian Barmore would easily be among the AFC's best, if not one of the NFL's most premier units.
Crosby signed a three-year, $106.5 million extension with the Raiders back in March, so a potential trade for the Patriots would be more than a one-year rental. That could mean New England will have to pay a hefty price for his services, which shouldn't be a problem given the aforementioned cap space combined with the franchise still having most of its future draft picks.
Super Bowl contenders are created by taking big swings. Trying to trade for Crosby would put the Patriots on a path to join that conversation, and if that swing results in a home run, they could remain in the championship conversation for years to come.