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Raiders DE Maxx Crosby

Just when it seemed like the Maxx Crosby trade rumors had finally cooled off, the Chicago Bears have been pulled back into the conversation.

Fresh reporting from Raiders insider Hondo Carpenter revealed that there remains “enormous interest” around the Las Vegas superstar.

For Bears fans who never stopped dreaming about Crosby in navy and orange, the report was enough to reignite speculation once again.

A defense still missing its closer

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The Chicago Bears’ pass rush problem hasn’t gone anywhere. The Bears finished 2025 ranked 22nd in sacks and 29th in pressure rate, and Montez Sweat remains the only proven difference maker on the edge. The names behind him come with question marks attached…

Dayo Odeyingbo managed just one sack in eight games before tearing his Achilles, and Austin Booker‘s 4.5 sacks in 10 contests were encouraging but nowhere close to a finished product.

Crosby on the other hand is coming off a 10 sack, 73 tackle season and his fifth straight Pro Bowl. He had knee surgery in January, the same procedure that spooked the Ravens out of a deal that briefly looked done, but he’s expected to be full speed by training camp.

Now Ryan Poles hasn’t made a move at the position this offseason, and that’s not an accident. The coaching staff has repeatedly backed the group already on the roster, putting the burden on themselves to develop Sweat, Booker, Odeyingbo and Shemar Turner rather than going out and buying a fix.

Still, an opportunity to get Maxx Crosby should at least cause the Bears to pick up the phone and call again.

The math still doesn’t favor Chicago

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Even if Poles wanted in, the price tag is the real obstacle. Baltimore‘s since scrapped deal sent two first round picks to Las Vegas before backing out over the same knee concerns, and any team picking up that pursuit now would likely have to pay close to the same rate. 

Even further, the Raiders have shown zero urgency to discount Crosby just because one suitor walked away.

Back in March, when that Ravens trade first fell apart, there was a real argument that Chicago could land him at a discount. Three months later, with Crosby healthy again and two contenders reportedly circling hard, that discount window looks like it’s closing fast.

At the same time, it’s difficult to ignore what Crosby could mean for Chicago’s Super Bowl aspirations.

The Bears already possess one of the NFL’s most intriguing young offenses under Ben Johnson. If they added a player of Crosby’s caliber to a defense that already features Sweat, Jaylon Johnson, and T.J. Edwards, they would immediately enter the conversation among the NFC’s most complete teams.

Realistically, a trade still feels unlikely. Poles has shown little indication that he’s preparing to make a blockbuster move, and the Raiders continue to insist they are not actively trying to move Crosby.

But thanks to the latest wave of rumors, the dream isn’t completely dead. As long as trade interest continues to surround Crosby and the Chicago Bears continue searching for answers off the edge, fans will keep wondering whether Poles has one more surprise move left before Week 1.