The Baltimore Ravens have backed out of a blockbuster trade that was set to send star defensive end Maxx Crosby to Baltimore from the Las Vegas Raiders .
The Ravens were going to send two first-round draft picks to Vegas for Crosby as the cornerstone of their offseason additions in a deal reached on March 6. But on Tuesday, the Raiders announced that the Ravens had bailed on the trade.
According to a report by Dianna Russini of The Athletic , Crosby did not pass his initial physical with the Ravens.
Trades agreed to before the start of the new league year cannot be processed by the league and therefore made official until the start of the new year on March 11 at 4 p.m.
It was set to be the first time in the Ravens' 31-year history that they'll use a first-round pick to trade for a player.
The Dallas Cowboys had been willing to offer a first- and second-round pick to the Raiders for Crosby, according to a report by Adam Schefter of ESPN, but since then, the Cowboys have agreed to a trade with the Green Bay Packers for Rashawn Gary.
The Ravens finished 8-9 last season, and the defense was horrendous, which is abnormal for a franchise like Baltimore. The Ravens ranked 24th in total yards allowed (354.5 per game) and 18th in points allowed (23.4 per game) last season. Baltimore also had only 30 sacks, which was tied for the third-fewest in the NFL.
New Ravens head coach Jesse Minter did wonders as the Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator. The Ravens also hired former Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver as their new DC. Weaver was a finalist for the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach position.
The Ravens have fallen below expectations on several occasions during Jackson's tenure. Last year they were the Super Bowl favorites and they didn't even make the playoffs. Adding a player like Crosby is a massive move for Baltimore and a clear sign that they're in win-now mode.
Crosby, who turns 29 in August, is a five-time Pro Bowler and has been named second-team All-Pro twice. He has recorded 439 tackles, 69.5 sacks, 11 forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, 29 pass deflections and one interception in his seven-year career.
Since 2021, Crosby has a 91.4 run defense grade (1st), 91.3 pass rush grade (7th), 379 pressures (2nd) and 81 tackles for losses (1st), according to Pro Football Focus .
Chris Ward contributed.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Baltimore Ravens Bail on Blockbuster Trade with Raiders
Related Headlines
