Tony Pauline of EssentiallySports, citing sources, reports the Bengals were in discussions to acquire Maxx Crosby from the Raiders earlier this offseason.
However, Pauline writes that Cincinnati was unwilling to match the Ravens’ offer of two first-round picks that they initially planned to send to Las Vegas before Crosby’s failed physical nixed the trade.
The Bengals wound up acquiring DT Dexter Lawrence from the Giants in exchange for their No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which was part of the offer they sent to the Raiders for Crosby.
Crosby, 28, is a former fourth-round pick of the Raiders back in 2019 out of Eastern Michigan University. He was entering the final year of his four-year, $3,302,264 contract that included a $782,264 signing bonus and was set to make a base salary of $850,000 when he signed a four-year, $98.98 million contract extension with over $53 million guaranteed.
Crosby was due base salaries of $22.236 million and $18.84 million in the final two years of the deal when he signed a three-year, $106.5 million extension in March 2025.
In 2025, Crosby appeared in 15 games for the Raiders and recorded 73 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, one interception, six pass defenses, and two forced fumbles.