Earlier on Friday, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson sent social media into overdrive when he shared this meme:
Many speculated it was a reference to a potential blockbuster trade involving star pass rusher Maxx Crosby.
It turns out that the speculation was based on reality.
According to multiple reports, the Ravens have agreed to terms on a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders for the standout defender. As reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Ravens will send their 2026 first-round pick (No. 14 overall) and their 2027 first-round pick to the Raiders in exchange for Crosby.
Let’s hand out some grades.
We can start with the Raiders side of the deal.
It’s clear Las Vegas is starting over, with the hiring of new head coach Klint Kubiak, the decision to part ways with Geno Smith that was announced earlier Friday, and now the decision to trade Crosby after seven seasons with the franchise.
In exchange, the Raiders will receive a pair of first-round picks and now have two of the top 15 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. While the Raiders are widely anticipated to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first pick, the Raiders have needs beyond the quarterback position.
Even now along the defensive line.
Las Vegas now has an additional first-round pick, which they could use to address one of those needs. Or they could decide to drop from 14th place, adding additional draft capital along the way. Additionally, Las Vegas now has two first-round picks in the 2027 NFL Draft, giving them more opportunities to build around Mendoza’s likely rookie quarterback contract.
As general manager John Spytek said during the NFL Combine, Crosby is an elite player and it’s hard to win in the NFL without elite players. But given the fact that the Raiders are in the midst of a rebuild, stockpiling two more first-round picks gives Las Vegas a solid opportunity to add elite talent in the next two drafts, to build around the rookie quarterback we all hope they select at the top of the board.
Two things are true here.
The Ravens paid a high price for Crosby, one they had never paid before.
But given the obvious need to address the pass rush and Crosby’s talent, this seems like a solid move for the Ravens.
Baltimore’s defense took a step back against the pass a season ago, when the Ravens allowed opposing quarterbacks to post 6.7 adjusted net yards per attempt in 2025, the 10th-worst mark in the league. Baltimore also recorded just 30 sacks last year, the third-lowest total in the NFL.
They desperately needed help rushing the pass.
Now, to be safe, Baltimore could have added a rookie pass rusher with their pick at No. 14. Looking at the current “consensus big board” compiled by NFL Mock Draft Databaseplayers like Keldric Faulk, Akheem Mesidor and Cashius Howell could have been options for the Ravens at that position. But while all three players have potential, Crosby is a proven product and one of the league’s elite pass rushers. A team like Baltimore, hoping to compete for a division title or more in 2026, can afford to make a big trade like this on a player they can trust right away.
And given Baltimore’s need on the defensive front, this makes a lot of sense for them, despite the cost.
Getting back to where we started, consider this:
That the organization finally made a move like this indicates how badly they wanted to do it.