John Spytek Cements Maxx Crosby's Future With Raiders
It has been a hectic offseason for the Las Vegas Raiders, who are entering a new era with head coach Klint Kubiak and incoming rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
That phase is what spurred the Raiders to initially trade pass rusher Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens for multiple first-round picks. However, the Ravens backed out of the deal days later, sending the 28-year-old edge rusher back to Las Vegas.
During his appearance on the "Rich Eisen Show," general manager John Spytek provided further insight into the situation and gave an update on expectations for Crosby heading into next season.
Spytek's Thoughts
- "It's been great. He really never left," Spytek said of the front office's relationship with Crosby. "If we look at the actual transaction, he's never not been a Raider. He came - his first day back - and sat in my office with me a little bit, and we talked things through like we always do. I've had a great line of communication, Maxx [Crosby], and I have had a lot of great conversations since I've been here."
- "Some of them have been easy, when you're giving him a new contract, and some of them have been challenging," Spytek continued. "We're always honest with each other, and there has been a lot of growth in those conversations as well. Maxx [Crosby] is working his tail off and will be ready to rock in training camp. We expect him to play good football this year and for many years to come."
After sending Crosby to Baltimore, Las Vegas - who entered free agency with $90 million in cap space - splurged on multiple marquee players on the open market. Eisen asked Spytek whether there would have been a problem if the Raiders had spent more than they could afford, given that Crosby would not be on the roster.
- "That would have presented a different problem, but we were fortunate to be in a case where we structured things the way we did," Spytek said. "So, we can always have flexibility and versatility in how we do deals."
- "You always want to be ready to add players, unexpectedly. Whether somebody gets cut or becomes available via trade that you didn't anticipate, you always want to leave yourself some wiggle room to build the best team possible. We were in a spot where we were able to do that."
Overall Thoughts
With the 2026 NFL Draft in three days, it sure does sound like the All-Pro pass rusher is part of the Raiders' plans moving forward. Now, that can obviously change if Las Vegas is presented with an offer similar to the one they originally agreed on earlier in the offseason. Additionally, if the Raiders are tailing off at the trade deadline, Spytek could also explore maximizing Crosby's value at that point of the season.
Nevertheless, Las Vegas has assembled a formidable defense and can continue adding impactful pieces to the roster, with 10 picks in the upcoming draft.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/raiders/onsi as John Spytek Cements Maxx Crosby's Future With Raiders.
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This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 7:00 AM.