It was only a few days ago when the Ravens swooped in as one of the most unexpected teams imaginable and pulled off a blockbuster trade for defensive end Maxx Crosby, sending two first-round picks to the Raiders in the process.
The Patriots had long been rumored to be interested in acquiring the pass rusher, and were reportedly in contact with the team before the trade was made official. But then new rumors surfaced suggesting that Tom Brady, a 5% owner of the Raiders, blocked Crosby from being sent to his former team.
And now that craziness has happened, with the Ravens calling off the trade allegedly due to a failed physical, some fans might think this is a second-chance to get Crosby in Foxboro. But because of that Brady rumor, it's incredibly unlikely.
From the #Raiders: pic.twitter.com/6oMYCOLZfi
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 10, 2026
And maybe it's a blessing in disguise.
It's very unlikely that the Patriots will attempt a trade for Maxx Crosby now
One of the most concerning parts of trading Crosby away, aside from stripping your defense of its best pass rusher, was an apparent lingering injury that ended his 2025 season. There had been reports of a dispute between Crosby and the Raiders over the seriousness of the dispute, leading to trade rumors before the season was over.
It inevitably led to his being traded just a few days ago, and all things looked peachy until he got to Baltimore and, according to NFL insider Dianna Russini, failed his physical.
That's good news for the Patriots, who could have traded for him and dealt with the same result, but bad news for the Raiders, who have spent an incredible amount of money over the last two days under the assumption that Crosby's contract was going to be mostly off the books.
They're now in an awkward situation with him on his way back to Las Vegas, and it's likely they'll try to ship him off again, but at a much lower price now.
The Patriots could theoretically inquire again, but it might not be worth it if he's dealing with an injury that requires surgery and extensive rehab, even if it will cost far less than two first-rounders. But even then, it might not matter if Brady is really blocking a trade there, which is just another unfortunate part of his apparent anti-Patriots agenda.