Maxx Crosby Traded to Ravens as Raiders Release Geno
Maxx Crosby trade Ravens Geno Smith release 2026
The Las Vegas Raiders have signaled a complete franchise reset by reportedly agreeing to trade five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for significant draft capital. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the blockbuster deal will send the twenty-eight-year-old pass rusher to Baltimore for first-round picks in both the 2026 and 2027 NFL Drafts. The trade, which cannot be officially processed until the new league year begins on March 11, represents the first time in the Ravens’ thirty-one-year history that the organization has traded a first-round selection for a veteran player. Crosby, who has recorded 69.5 sacks over seven seasons, reportedly became disgruntled after the Raiders’ decision to shut him down for the final two games of the 2025 season as the team secured the number-one overall pick. His arrival in Baltimore provides a massive boost to a defense now led by head coach Jesse Minter, who previously faced Crosby as a coordinator for the Chargers.
Simultaneously, the Raiders are moving on from veteran quarterback Geno Smith after just one season with the organization. Multiple reports from NFL Network confirm that Las Vegas will release the thirty-five-year-old signal-caller to avoid an $8 million salary guarantee that was set to trigger on March 13. Smith’s brief tenure in the desert was marred by offensive struggles, including a league-high seventeen interceptions and fifty-five sacks taken behind a porous offensive line. While the Raiders will swallow approximately $18.5 million in dead money, the move clears $8 million in cap space and paves the way for a new era under center. Smith originally signed a two-year, $75 million extension with the team last March after being acquired from the Seattle Seahawks, but the firing of head coach Pete Carroll earlier this year effectively ended the veteran’s long-term prospects with the club.
The decision to part ways with both their defensive cornerstone and their starting quarterback centers on the Raiders’ possession of the number-one overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. General Manager John Spytek and new head coach Klint Kubiak are widely expected to select Indiana quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza to lead the franchise’s rebuild. By acquiring the Ravens’ number-fourteen overall pick in addition to their own top selection, the Raiders now possess two first-round choices in a draft loaded with premium talent. While Spytek had publicly stated earlier in the week that he intended to keep Crosby, he admitted the front office was “always listening” to offers, eventually finding the Ravens’ package of two first-rounders too significant to decline. The trade marks a stark departure from the Raiders’ previous commitment to Crosby, who had signed a three-year extension only one year ago.
For the Baltimore Ravens, the acquisition of Crosby addresses a critical deficiency in a pass rush that managed only thirty sacks as a team last season. General Manager Eric DeCosta’s uncharacteristic decision to surrender future first-round picks highlights the team’s “all-in” approach for the 2026 season. Crosby remains under contract through 2029, though analysts expect a contract restructure may be necessary given his current $30.7 million cap hit. As the league prepares for the official start of free agency next week, the Raiders are left with a nearly empty quarterback room, while Geno Smith becomes one of several high-profile veterans on the market.
