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(Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)

The Las Vegas Raiders will look to field a competitive defense in the 2026 NFL season. Moreover, the group will still have veteran pass rusher Maxx Crosby, who appears re-energized after the failed trade to the Baltimore Ravens this offseason.

Crosby was close to joining the Ravens this offseason, with the Silver and Black receiving two first-round picks. However, the 28-year-old would fail a physical, leading Baltimore to back out of the deal.

Former Raiders tight end Darren Waller, who played last season with the Miami Dolphins, shared his thoughts on seeing his ex-teammate go through that ordeal this offseason.

“Just kind of understanding all the emotions he must have gone through in that short period of time,” Waller said during the May 14 edition of “Yahoo Sports Daily.” “I imagine he had some frustrations with the team toward the end of last season, and having the opportunity for a fresh start is amazing. It’s like, ‘Let’s go for it.‘“

Darren Waller Sympathizes With Maxx Crosby

Furthermore, Waller sympathizes with Corsby, who looks like he is going to a team challenging for a playoff position this upcoming season, rather than remaining with the Raiders, a team that’s in the middle of a rebuild.

“Maybe it didn’t go the way he originally wanted, but now he gets a new start, so let’s do it,” Waller added. “Then, for that to be completely halted and for him to go back to a team he was frustrated with, a team that had him on the trading block, that whole cycle just feels like a lot to deal with and process while still recovering from surgery, dealing with an injury and trying to get back to 100 percent.

“It’s just a lot of things to feel and sit with that are probably uncomfortable. That’s what I think about when I think about a guy I’ve spent a lot of time around and know on a deeper level.”

Nonetheless, Crosby is looking to maintain a positive attitude and make the most of the situation, serving as a leader on a young team. It will be interesting to see if the Raiders decide to trade him later this year at the deadline after he shows teams that any concerns about his knee should be unfounded.

Insider on Maxx Crosby’s Future With the Raiders

Despite speculation on whether Las Vegas would consider trading Crosby before the draft, that didn’t happen, and all signs point to him starting the 2026 season with the Raiders. Nonetheless, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer shared his thoughts on the player’s future.

“I’d say there’s a very, very high percentage chance that Maxx Crosby starts the regular season with the Raiders, and I think everyone’s intention is for Crosby to settle back in as a leader and (they hope) an early torchbearer for Klint Kubiak’s new program,“ Breer wrote in his May 6 mailbag article.

“There’s also the reality that Baltimore’s decision to back out did have a chilling effect on Crosby’s trade value. The Ravens are a well-respected organization, so when they do something like this, that’s so unusual, it’s going to reverberate with other teams.”