One of the biggest weaknesses the Patriots tried to improve, and seemed to until injuries plagued the defense, was their pass-rushing group, and unfortunately, that will remain a top need going into the 2026 offseason. That's why the possibility that the Raiders could trade away Maxx Crosby has become a fixation for New England fans, but it's looking less likely as the weeks go on.
Because of their low standing in the first round of the upcoming draft, with the 31st overall pick, many analysts have suggested that Mike Vrabel and Co. use that selection to start a trade with Las Vegas and add a few more picks or players to sweeten the deal.
As great as it would be to add a player coming off a 10-sack season to their already impressive defense, it's looking less likely that the new coaching staff will entertain the idea of moving on from their franchise star, especially after the latest hire.
The Raiders might be trying their best to keep Maxx Crosby around with their new coaching hires
After announcing that Klint Kubiak was set to become their next head coach, the Raiders are set to hire defensive line coach and run game coordinator Rob Leonard as their next defensive play-caller.
That might not sound significant or all that interesting to Patriots fans at first, but Leonard's connection to Crosby, as they worked closely together before his promotion, could be a way for the organization to try to keep Crosby around after an apparent falling-out that ended the 2025 season.
With Maxx Crosby's future uncertain in Las Vegas, worth noting that the #Raiders hired the coach with whom he works directly. As one person noted, "The plot thickens." https://t.co/2Z5cx2TGDJ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 14, 2026
While this may not drastically change Crosby's feelings about the Raiders ahead of free agency, it does appear to be something they're hoping will improve their standing with him after what appears to be a disastrous ending to his season, on top of having surgery.
It makes sense that they'll want to do all that they can to keep their biggest star on the team, especially since they have the No. 1 overall pick and could easily get their next quarterback to start building their roster around as soon as this spring.
Ensuring the defense is top-tier would make their chances even better, so keeping Crosby around is a no-brainer. The problem is whether the damage has been done and whether he will want out because of it, which he has given conflicting answers about.
We know from past statements that Crosby would love to be coached by Mike Vrabel, so that certainly works in their favor. Even better, they're coming off representing the AFC in the Super Bowl, regardless of how the game went.
If he wants to be on an immediately competitive team, the Patriots make sense. But if he wants to maintain that loyalty to which he has proclaimed to have for the Raiders, then there's likely nothing the Patriots will be able to do to get a deal done. But they should still try, at the very least.