The New England Patriots are understandably completely focused on the one game remaining on their schedule. However, as rumors continue to emerge of an offseason Maxx Crosby trade, it is easy to imagine not only a Super Bowl win, but finding a way to add Crosby to what would be a daunting defending champ. For the Patriots, this possibility could become a reality based on recent reports on his past respect for head coach Mike Vrabel.
The Athletic's Dianna Russini addressed Crosby's potential fit, pointing out that New England would be in a bidding war. A war the Patriots are set up to win, having 11 picks in this year's draft and control of their future assets. It makes sense to push their chips to the center of the table and acquire one of the league's best defenders. Crosby is an absolute monster off the edge and would likely see his numbers jump after leaving an underwhelming Las Vegas Raiders defense.
""Crosby once told me he’d love to play for Mike Vrabel, and it’s easy to see why they’d be a good match. The reality is, if Crosby does become available, the Patriots would be just one of many interested teams. It’s unclear how this will play out, but I’m increasingly skeptical he’ll play a down for Kubiak.""Dianna Russini
Furthering the potential fit is the fact that the Patriots are expected to have $42.7 million in open cap space, while Crosby's contract counts for a $35.8 million hit, according to Spotrac. This is plenty of space to get the deal done, and you can still open future space by restructuring deals and parting ways with underwhelming veterans. It simply makes far too much sense from a financial standpoint when you also consider the player fit.
Patriots Appear Increasingly Likely as Potential Maxx Crosby Offseason Landing Spot
The Boston Herald's Andrew Callahan agreed that Crosby was a clear fit, reporting that he expected the franchise to make a push for the defender when the offseason began. Callahan furthered this by calling Crosby a "hand-in-glove fit" within Vrabel's defensive scheme. It is hard to argue with this logic based on Crosby's talent. As he, in truth, fits into any scheme and makes it far more effective.
For the Patriots, it makes sense to shore up a position that could be argued as their lone weakness. If there is one area of concern heading into the Super Bowl, it is which player will consistently win along the defensive edge and force Sam Darnold to make quick decisions.
Having Crosby changes this from a concern to an expectation that the defender will find a way to wreck a game. No question, the closer we get to the offseason, the more obvious it becomes that Crosby could soon find his way to New England.