How Raiders Walked Away With Top-Tier Draft Steal

The Las Vegas Raiders have had one of the most interesting offseasons of any team in the National Football League by far. Las Vegas' coaching staff and roster moves will rightfully be what this offseason is remembered for, but their early-offseason saga is sure to still have an impact.

The Raiders enter the 2026 season looking to mesh their new additions with the players and coaches that remain from prior seasons. As they enter training camp, Las Vegas faces the most critical few weeks they have encountered as a team and organization in several seasons.

Raiders' Perspective

Las Vegas had such a productive offseason that it is easy to forget how it started with the firing of Pete Carroll and their relatively public back-and-forth with their best player just a few months ago. The Raiders have come a long way in a short time.

Still, even though many questions have been answered, many more have come to light. Las Vegas made admirable additions to its roster, yet it may still have some unresolved issues that could factor into critical decisions it is set to make in the near future.

Raiders' Asset

Maxx Crosby has been part of all the ups and downs the Silver and Black have had over the years and is one of the few remaining Raiders who were on the roster before the team relocated to Las Vegas. Crosby has been the most consistently dependable player on the team since 2019.

Crosby found himself at a crossroads at the end of last season, after the front office decided to sit Crosby out for the final two games of the season. Las Vegas' front office felt it would be best to protect Crosby from further injury. Crosby reportedly did not agree with the decision.

This led to an offseason saga between the two sides that witnessed Crosby publicly deny wanting to be traded, while multiple well-respected reporters in the national media reported otherwise. The Raiders would eventually come to an agreement with the Baltimore Ravens to trade Crosby.

That trade never officially materialized, as the Ravens backed out of the deal and signed defensive end Trey Hendrickson instead. This sent Crosby back to Las Vegas, where he will join the best roster the Raiders have had since he arrived many years ago.

Sports Illustrated's Justin Melo recently ranked the biggest steals in each NFL Draft over the past quarter-century. Melo selected Raiders' star defensive end, Maxx Crosby, as the biggest steal of the 2019 draft. The former fourth-round pick has worked his way to the top of the league at his position.

"No 2019 NFL Draft steal quite has the pedigree like fourth-rounder Maxx Crosby. A bunch of our honorable mentions were second-round picks. It feels extra special that Crosby went 106th overall," Melo said.

"He's since developed into one of the most consistent and feared pass rushers in the NFL. He's a tier-one EDGE player alongside elites like Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt."

Crosby was seen briefly on the practice field earlier this offseason as he works his way back from the injury that forced the front office's hand at the end of last season. The veteran defensive end explained how critical it was for him to participate as much as his rehab would allow.

"I mean, I'm a leader by nature. The guys need to see me; I want to be out there and be a part of the team. I just want to be one of the guys. I don't do it because it's me trying to be extra or anything like that, I just love what I do, and I love playing football," Crosby said.

"I love just being on the field, like that's my whole world. And being able to do the stretches with the guys is something that I think is important, and just being around the dudes, just getting better. I feel like it helps the team in general and just bringing energy as we get the day rolling, but it's been really cool."

Crosby's return to the Raiders after seemingly wanting out and being traded to the Ravens has made for one of the more unique situations in league history. Although many trades have fallen through over the years, there have been few instances of it happening with a player of Crosby's stature.

However, it is just another one of the many unexpected occurrences Crosby and the Raiders have encountered during their time together. Regardless, Crosby is eager to return to the field to help make an impact on a significantly improved Raiders team in 2026.

"Every year is a different journey, and we've been through a lot of changes, a lot of adversity since I've been here, but this has been a long road to recovery. It's been probably the longest rehab I've been through, but ultimately it's probably been the best by far, to be completely honest, and we're not even to the finish line," Crosby said.

"I love being out there with the guys, and I just love being out there on the field. I'm real close, but I'm at that point where it's like I forget. I'm at the point where I'm like almost there, but I forget that I need to relax a little bit. So that's kind of been the biggest battle right now because I'm almost back to being out there."

As the failed trade proved, things move fast in the league. Crosby may or may not be with the Raiders past 2026. Yet, his impact on the Raiders' storied franchise will forever be etched in stone, as his contributions during a dry spell for the Raiders are noteworthy, to say the least.

Crosby's rise from fourth-round draft pick to the top of the league is unquestionably one of the biggest steals in the last 25 NFL Drafts. Las Vegas has gotten tremendous return on the fourth-round pick and the money they have invested in Crosby.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/raiders/onsi as How Raiders Walked Away With Top-Tier Draft Steal.

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This story was originally published July 14, 2026 at 6:00 AM.