The Las Vegas Raiders put what looks like the finishing touches on their initial 53-man roster this week, and the 2026 season hasn't even started yet. However, Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox is already discussing a potential roster shake-up that a lot of Raider Nation wouldn't be happy about: trading defensive end Maxx Crosby.
In a column titled "Bold Trade Predictions Before the 2026 NFL Season Kicks Off", Knox predicted the Dallas Cowboys will trade 2027 and 2028 first-round picks and edge defender Rashan Gary for Crosby, citing Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' July remarks that Dallas never closed the door on acquiring the five-time Pro Bowler as justification.
On why Las Vegas would accept:
"The Raiders seem content to keep Crosby after their offseason trade with the Baltimore Ravens fell through. However, they could revisit the idea of flipping the 29-year-old if they're struggling to compete in late October," Knox wrote.
"After taking Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall, Las Vegas won't be in the market for a quarterback in next year's draft. However, it will be looking for long-term pieces to put around Mendoza. Trading Crosby, who could be past his prime by the time the Raiders are ready to contend, could get Las Vegas a very strong return."
While this wouldn't be popular within the fanbase, that'd be a really hard deal for John Sptyek to pass up. Gary fills the immediate need at edge, while the pair of first-rounders help build for the future. However, this deal seems very unrealistic.
It was reported that the Cowboys' team doctor, Dr. Daniel Cooper, was part of the Ravens' review team for Crosby's knee this spring. That makes it pretty hard to see Dallas not just matching but beating Baltimore's deal if its team doctor potentially has concerns over the player's long-term health. Also, the Cowboys just traded for Gary in the offseason and drafted edge Malachi Lawrence in the first round, on top of having 2025 second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku at the position.
But if a deal like this is on the table by Nov. 10, Spytek would have something to think about.
NFL Draft prospects to watch: With College Football getting going this weekend, find six wide receivers and five defensive tackle prospects to keep tabs on for the draft.
Game-by-game prediction: S&BP's Ray Aspuria takes a stab at predicting the Raiders' record for the 2026 season.
When should Fernando Mendoza start?: The Princess of Darkness and current CBS Sports Analyst, Amy Trask, answers the question on all of Raider Nation's mind , stating: "It needs to be a collaborative decision" between Klint Kubiak, John Sptyek and the rest of the scouting staff.
The case for starting Mendoza: "The Raiders starting Kirk Cousins makes sense. But short of a miracle, Fernando Mendoza has to play," the California Post's Vincent Bonsignore posted on X/Twitter promoting his column . "A lot [of] respect to Brady & Mahomes, but they had their journeys. Mendoza has his. He was drafted No. 1 to play, not follow someone else's timeline."
Sign up for a user account and get:
Fewer ads
Create community posts
Comment on articles, community posts
Rec comments, community posts
New, improved notifications system!
