One of the forgotten aspects of the Baltimore Ravens backing out of acquiring star pass-rusher Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders in March is that Crosby reportedly requested
a trade after he was shut down by the Raiders late in the 2025 season against his wishes because of a lingering knee injury.
While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Crosby indicated he’s happy to still be with the team that drafted him in 2019.
Maxx Crosby: Failed Raiders, Ravens trade is “water under the bridge”
“I don’t really want to talk about that, to be honest. It’s water under the bridge,” Crosby said about the failed trade, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. “It’s a long time ago. I’m here, and I want to be here, and I’m excited to be here, and I’ve got a lot of work to do. It’s water under the bridge.”
Crosby’s comments weren’t all that shocking, as numerous reports this spring indicated that he, Raiders general manager John Spytek and first-year head coach Klint Kubiak got on the same page after the 28-year-old allegedly failed a Ravens physical for reasons related to the meniscus repair he needed this past winter. While some think the Raiders could again approach Crosby about a trade if they have a losing record this coming fall, it appears no such transaction is imminent.
“I want to be out there and be part of the team,” Crosby added. “I just love what I do, and I love playing football, and I love being on the field. …We have an extremely smart and great leader of men in Klint Kubiak.”
When does Maxx Crosby plan to make full return from knee injury?
Meanwhile, Kubiak said in May that the “goal” was to have Crosby good to go for the start of training-camp practices in late July. Crosby seems to be on track to participate in those sessions.
“I’m at the point where I’m almost there, but I forget that I need to relax a little bit, so that’s kind of been the biggest battle right now,” Crosby said about his recovery. “…Ultimately, it has probably been the best [rehab] by far, and we’re not even to the finish line. It’s been better because I’ve been able to focus on other things. Whether that’s being in the weight room, like I’m moving more weight than I ever have, and doing things in a different way, and being able to get my body the proper rest that it actually needs. This has forced me to have to take a step back in certain areas and not run 8,000 yards on the field every single day.”
It remains to be seen how Crosby’s knee will respond to his efforts come August. For now, it sounds like he plans to be in the Raiders’ lineup for their Week 1 game versus the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 13.