Over the years, there have been plenty of big-name players that Patriots fans have put on their big board for the upcoming free agency, whether hoping the team will sign them or pull off a blockbuster trade to get them in the door. Besides receiver AJ Brown, which has only heated up more since Mike Vrabel became the head coach, the conversation has surrounded defensive end Maxx Crosby, who the Raiders might consider trading this upcoming offseason.
Considering his impressive resume and how badly the Patriots need a pass rusher of his level, it's inevitable that trade rumors would connect them to Crosby. The problem, however, is that the Raiders have shut down all talk about possibly moving on, seemingly closing the door on New England making a move.
Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean a whole lot in professional sports, and anything can happen in the blink of an eye. We've seen it time and time again in the NFL, so this situation shouldn't be treated any differently.
However, Crosby himself just put an end to all debate about allegedly wanting out of the Raiders after an apparent disagreement with the higher-ups to end the season, and that could be enough for Patriots fans to give up.
Maxx Crosby finally speaks on all the trade rumors going into the 2026 offseason
During a recent podcast appearance, the five-time Pro Bowler set the record straight about what he wants for his NFL future, and that revolves around being on the Raiders.
Not only that, Crosby stated he wants to retire with his current team, and if he has his way, he will. So, the Patriots might need to focus their trade desires elsewhere.
"I want to retire a Raider. There's no question about that. I love being a Raider. I feel like it's who I was born to be on. I feel like it fits exactly who I am. Mark (Davis) and the whole front office guys, I got a ton of love for them.
Recently, he was a little upset with me about the whole deal that went down, but at the end of the day, that's any relationship. It's not going to be perfect, smooth sailing. (Winning is) all that matters to me, and I want (Mark) to win. That's the thing. I'm not coming from a selfish perspective where it's like, 'No, I don't give a (expletive), I'm going to get my money regardless'. It's not that. I want to win here, and I want him to win and have success."
Just like any player in the league, just because they want to stay with their current team doesn't mean they will. At the end of the day, the NFL is a business, and there is no loyalty from anyone.
That means Crosby could be traded for the right price, so there's no reason for the Patriots to sit on their hands and not make the call with a strong offer if they believe he is the right player. That could make Mark Davis and Co. listen, even if they aren't strongly considering moving on from their defensive star.
For the time being, Crosby looks off-limits or, at the very least, not worth the time and energy to attempt trading for. That can change, of course, but the current trend suggests the Raiders want to keep him around for a long time, especially if they're planning to go through with a rebuild this offseason.