The New England Patriots had one of their best offseasons in a long time this past year. Hiring Mike Vrabel as their head coach was just the start, allowing him to build a winning roster by bringing in his own coaching staff and having the green light to spend the most money of any team in free agency.
Between signing free agents and hitting on the players that they drafted, the Patriots took a huge step forward in rebuilding the roster and landed in the Super Bowl. To maintain the same level of success, they’ll have to do it all again this offseason.
With one of the best edge rushers in the NFL seemingly wanting to be traded, it would be wise for the Patriots to do whatever is necessary to acquire star defensive end Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders. Crosby has been openly unhappy about his situation and where the overall direction of the team is going, and according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Raiders have a lot of “fence-mending” to do if they truly want to retain Crosby and make him happy.
“There’s a lot of fence-mending that’s going to need to happen if the Raiders are going to hang on to Maxx Crosby. It goes all the way to the top of the organization with Tom Brady and Alex Guerrero," Breer said. "The way the communication happened with the injury in December left a mark. This is a guy who’s incredibly loyal to the Raiders organization, wanted to spend his entire career there, and is loyal to Mark Davis, as well. Now, he feels betrayed.”
The disconnect between Crosby and the Raiders that Breer is referring to stems from the way the organization handled the lingering knee injury, resulting in Crosby being shut down for the final two games of the season. He didn’t agree with the decision or appreciate the way he was informed, which is how Guerrero is included in the mix. Crosby feels strongly that he was shut down as an effort for the Raiders to secure the No. 1 overall draft pick, which they did.
Nevertheless, the Patriots should use the situation to their advantage, as a potential Crosby trade would keep them in the Super Bowl conversation for years to come.
Maxx Crosby Trade Should Be on Patriots' Radar
Crosby has not formally requested a trade from the Raiders, but he’s made his frustrations well known, and it’s been acknowledged by owner Mark Davis, who recently said that Crosby is “a great Raider” and everything between them is going to be fine.
Although Crosby hasn’t said anything publicly, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini said during Super Bowl week (h/t @985TheSportsHub) that Crosby wants to play for Vrabel and the Patriots.
"Maxx Crosby doesn’t seem too happy in Las Vegas… I can tell you that I know he wants to play for Mike Vrabel, he’s told me before."Dianna Russini, The Athletic
On top of love for Vrabel, Crosby also has a history with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. The 49-year-old assistant was the Raiders' head coach for parts of two seasons (2022-23), which is a stretch where Crosby amassed 27.0 sacks — his best two-season total — and even finished twice in the top six for AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year votes.
Although the five-time Pro Bowlerwould be an ideal fit, due to the dominant and aggressive way he plays, acquiring him will be easier said than done.
As for the financial situation, he signed a three-year, $106.5 million contract extension last offseason that has $95 million in guaranteed money attached, keeping him in Las Vegas through the 2029 season. If the Raiders were to trade Crosby, they’d save nearly $30.7 million in cap space, per Spotrac, in addition to receiving a hefty package in return for him.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on Monday that it would take a Micah Parsons-type proposal for the Raiders to consider moving on from Crosby.
The Parsons trade required the Green Bay Packers to include two first-round draft picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark in the trade package from the Dallas Cowboys last offseason.
Patriots Have the Ammunition for a Crosby Deal
Since the Patriots made a deep playoff run that ended with a trip to the Super Bowl, they’ll have the 31st overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft and should consider using it as a trade chip for Crosby.
With it being at the very end of the first round anyway, it’s not really a significant loss of a first-round pick, especially if it can land them Crosby. The Patriots would likely have to include another first-round pick, but depending on the player they’d add to the package, perhaps it could get done with a future second-round pick (or two).
Reiss said that it could cost the 2026 first-round pick, a future second-round pick, and defensive tackle Christian Barmore to potentially get a Crosby trade done.
The Patriots signed two veteran linebackers last offseason for the EDGE with Harold Landry and K’Lavon Chaisson, but the position still needs an upgrade. Landry had the lowest amount of tackles since his rookie season and dealt with a knee injury for more than half of the season. That said, he still led the team in sacks (8.5) and tied for the most pressures (23) in 15 games.
Landry signed a three-year, $45 million deal and was voted a team captain. He has experience playing for Vrabel, and that was a factor in building the roster.
Chaisson, on the other hand, was on a one-year prove-it type of contract, and he turned it into the best season of his career with 31 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 18 quarterback hits, and 23 total pressures. He made significant plays in each round of the playoffs and showed that he can play well in New England’s aggressive defensive system. It would be great to see him re-sign with the Patriots; he definitely earned it.
The addition of Crosby would elevate the Patriots' defense to a new level. Having Chaisson on the other side and with Milton Williams on the line would be an upgrade to the defensive front for next season. This also aligns with the chemistry element of the team, as Crosby has been teammates with Robert Spillane and Chaisson in 2024 with the Raiders.
It’s worth noting that the Patriots will be a true destination for free agents and veterans alike who respect how Vrabel turned the team around in only one year.
Any trade for a player of Crosby's caliber carries a risk; however, it's one that the Patriots must be willing to take if they want to be Super Bowl 61 favorites next season.