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Raiders won't trade Maxx Crosby, team owner Mark Davis insists emphatically

'Before or after the trade deadline,' Davis said with multiple exclamation points

ian casselberry
Contributing writer
·3 min read
10

The Las Vegas Raiders are not trading star edge rusher Maxx Crosby. Team owner Mark Davis stated so emphatically in an email to ESPN, via Adam Schefter.

"We're Not Trading Maxx Crosby," Davis said in an email to ESPN. "Before Or After The Trade Deadline!!!"

With the Raiders off to a disappointing 2–5 start and previously trading away top receiver Davante Adams, Crosby said he's "not here to rebuild."

Yet dealing one of the NFL's sack leaders would surely yield a load of draft picks and possibly some NFL-ready players who could provide an infusion of talent. However, Crosby is also an enormously popular player and trading him would be a tough sell to Raiders fans. The NFL trade deadline is Nov. 5.

Crosby, 27, has 6 1/2 sacks this season, tied for the sixth-highest total in the league. He's also tied for the league lead in tackles for loss with 10. If he maintains that lead, Crosby will top the NFL in that category for the third consecutive season. Last season, he had 23 tackles for loss. The previous year, he had 22.

After the Detroit Lions lost defensive end Aidan Hutchinson for the season with a broken leg, Crosby became a popular trade target among fans and media. In addition to the Lions having a need on their defensive line, Crosby was born in Michigan and played college football at Eastern Michigan. EMU's field is named after Crosby after he made a $1 million donation to the athletic program.

Speculation ramped up on a possible deal after Crosby was seen on camera shoving linebackers coach Mike Caldwell during Week 6's 32–13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Crosby quickly disputed that there was any tension between him and Caldwell, saying the shove was "a love push."

"Mike Caldwell is a great dude," he later told reporters, via The Athletic. "We have a great relationship and we do that all the time. It’s like, you know, people look at it: ‘Oh, they’re losing and then Maxx pushes him.’ That’s how we play football. We’re grown men. We’re alpha males. We don’t greet each other the same."

Crosby signed a four-year, $99 million contract extension with the Raiders in March 2022. In his sixth NFL season, he has 58 1/2 sacks, 344 tackles, 98 tackles for loss and 135 QB hits during his career.

"I'm sitting here innocently and just doing what I do, and I feel like I got to like address it with my teammates," he said this past week on his "The Rush With Maxx Crosby" podcast.

"I'm like, 'I'm not trying to leave," he added. "I don't have 100 percent control and all that, but I want to be here, I want to be silver and black. I'll say it loud and f***ing clear, I want to be a Raider. I've said that over and over and over again."

Based on Davis' emailed statement, the Raiders have no intention of trading him either.