Getty

The New England Patriots were tied to five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby in a potential trade.

This offseason, the New England Patriots made one of the blockbuster trades, adding A.J. Brown. They may not be done yet, though, with the potential for adding Maxx Crosby on the horizon.

Edge rusher has become a clear need for the Patriots. In particular, as K’Lavon Chaisson left this offseason, and second-round pick Gabe Jacas has yet to practice with the team. So, with that in mind, Moe Moton of Bleacher Report predicted that New England will trade with the Las Vegas Raiders for Crosby.

“The Raiders will go through rough patches as they grow together, but Crosby, who turns 29 in August, may not have many optimal years left,” Moton wrote. “General manager John Spytek may decide it’s best to trade the star edge-rusher for a first-round pick and more while he’s still playing at a Pro Bowl level on a team that may be a year or two away from playoff contention. The New England Patriots may seek help for their pass rush in the second half of the upcoming campaign.”

It certainly would be a major splash if the Patriots were able to pull a trade off for Crosby. A five-time Pro Bowler and a Second-Team All-Pro selection as recently as 2023, he’s considered one of the best edge rushers in the entire sport.

Crosby has had four seasons with double-digit sacks in his career, including last season. In 2025, he would also have a career-high 28 tackles for a loss, despite only playing in 15 games.

The Las Vegas Raiders Already Traded Maxx Crosby This Offseason

Players like Maxx Crosby aren’t often available on the trade market. However, it’s pretty clear that the Las Vegas Raiders do want to move him.

Earlier in the offseason, the Raiders traded Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens. That was for two first-round picks. However, the Ravens would end up backing out on that trade over his medicals. That came after a failed physical relating to a meniscus injury.

Other teams have shown interest in Crosby this offseason, as well. That includes the Cincinnati Bengals, who offered a single first-round pick for him, but were rejected by the Raiders. Las Vegas wanted to get their two picks. So, the Bengals pivoted to Dexter Lawrence.

In other words, if the Patriots are going to trade for Crosby, they can expect a steep asking price. Given that they already sent a future first-round pick for A.J. Brown, they’ll also have to navigate some uncertainty with what’s even available to be traded.

The Patriots Were Previously Connected to Maxx Crosby

This wasn’t the first time that the Patriots were connected to Maxx Crosby. In fact, ESPN’s Dan Graziano did the same thing just a couple of weeks ago.

“I wouldn’t expect Crosby trade talk to heat up again until he gets on a field and shows he’s healthy. And from everything I’ve been told, that could be in August or later,” Graziano said. “Crosby might stick with the Raiders all year at this point, but if he’s going to get traded at all, we’re probably looking at something in-season ahead of the deadline. If a team such as the Cowboys, Bills, Bears or Patriots finds itself in contention and in need of an impact pass rusher, things could get interesting here again.”

Of course, none of that is a promise that Crosby will end up in New England. As Graziano pointed out, there are other options there. However, it is clear that the Patriots make sense for him.