Simply 4 days after the Las Vegas Raiders agreed to commerce star go rusher Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens in change for 2 first-round picks, Baltimore has modified its thoughts.
The Ravens are backing out of their deal to amass Crosby from the Raiders, CBS Sports activities NFL insider Jonathan Jones reported on Tuesday night. The Raiders confirmed this report shortly after on social media.
The Ravens are allowed to do that as a result of the brand new league 12 months begins Wednesday, March 11 at 4 p.m. ET. No transactions — whether or not signings or trades — can turn out to be official till then. All trades are additionally pending a bodily, and NFL Media studies that Baltimore backed out due to a medical motive.
Crosby underwent surgical procedure on the meniscus in his left knee on Jan. 8. NFL.com factors out that this was a meniscus restore, not a meniscus trim, which requires an extended restoration timetable. Ian Rapoport studies that Baltimore didn’t wish to make investments two first-round picks given what the Ravens’ medical specialists discovered throughout Crosby’s examination.
This can be a fascinating improvement for quite a few causes. Crosby was shut down by the Raiders with two video games remaining within the 2025 common season as a result of his knee damage, and it was a choice he “vehemently” disagreed with, in line with Fox. This was one thing that upset Crosby a lot, that NFL Media reported it could trigger him to guage his future with the franchise. Crosby by no means got here out and stated he needed a commerce, however there was intense hypothesis that he needed out.
When the Raiders shut down Crosby in December, the franchise revealed a press release which claimed a number of medical professionals beneficial the five-time Professional Bowler be sidelined:
“We now have made the choice to position Maxx Crosby on the Reserve/Injured record for the rest of the 2025 season. After deliberate and thorough session with a number of prime medical professionals, it grew to become clear that this resolution is in one of the best curiosity of each the franchise and the participant. Maxx is the last word warrior, and he has fought extraordinarily laborious to compete every week together with his teammates since injuring his knee mid-season.”
Crosby was anticipated to wish months to get better from his knee surgical procedure. That was clearly understood by the Ravens medical workers. However no matter they discovered throughout this bodily examination apprehensive them sufficient to tug out of a blockbuster deal.
This outstanding improvement has huge ramifications — for greater than only one workforce or one participant. Let’s check out what all of it means.
Hypothesis runs rampant
If you happen to suppose this complete scenario is fishy, you aren’t alone. Is it potential Baltimore had second ideas concerning the deal, and used this failed bodily as an out? One common supervisor instructed NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero, “That is very a lot bullshit on Baltimore’s half.”
Simply have a look at the Raiders’ quick assertion of: “The Baltimore Ravens have backed out of our commerce settlement for Maxx Crosby. We may have no additional remark right now.” The entrance workplace could also be seething with rage.
What this implies for the Ravens
Possibly the Ravens ought to be counseled for making this powerful resolution. They discovered one thing worrisome throughout Crosby’s bodily, and backed out of the settlement understanding it could set the NFL world ablaze and power the entrance workplace to return to the drafting board with regards to free company. Once more, perhaps that is the case.
Baltimore has misplaced far more than it has acquired within the final two days. Security Alohi Gilman is now with the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, go rusher Dre’Mont Jones agreed to signal with the New England Patriots, tight finish Isaiah Seemingly adopted John Harbaugh to the New York Giants, after which there was after all the lack of middle Tyler Linderbaum, who agreed to a mammoth three-year, $81 million cope with the Raiders that may make him the highest-paid middle in NFL historical past. At $27 million per 12 months, it is $9 million greater than the subsequent highest-paid middle! Now that Crosby is not coming to city, Baltimore will not need to tackle the three-year, $106.5 million extension Crosby signed simply final offseason. The Ravens have extra funds to work with.
Simply because Baltimore has more cash now doesn’t imply the Ravens will now go loopy in free company. Bear in mind, there is a looming Lamar Jackson extension that needs to be taken care of. Nonetheless, the Ravens have a transparent want at go rusher, which leads us to our subsequent level …
How this impacts Trey Hendrickson
Cincinnati Bengals star go rusher Trey Hendrickson stays unsigned by means of the NFL’s two-day negotiation interval regardless of being one of many prime accessible free brokers. CBS Sports activities NFL Insider Jonathan Jones reported Tuesday that there is a hole of about $10 million per 12 months between the contract Hendrickson desires and what NFL groups are prepared to pay him. He’s now 31-years-old and missed 10 video games final 12 months as a result of damage, however a brand new potential suitor within the Ravens have emerged.
Hendrickson registered back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons in 2023 and 2024, and is without doubt one of the prime quarterback-terrors within the league. Might the Ravens signal Hendrickson and maintain him within the AFC North, the place he may terrorize his former workforce and Joe Burrow twice a 12 months? That seems like match. After all, Hendrickson must go a bodily after present process core muscle surgical procedure a number of months in the past.
Has one thing like this occurred earlier than?
Oh sure it has. Again in 2018, ESPN factors out that Baltimore voided a four-year, $29 million contract it had on the desk for extensive receiver Ryan Grant after he failed a bodily as a result of an ankle damage. The Ravens additionally backed out of a cope with security Brock Marion in 1997 as a result of a problem together with his shoulder was found.
Reported trades and signings are at all times taken as reality, however the whole lot is contingent on a workforce’s medical workers getting their fingers on the participant.
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