The Baltimore Ravens made the biggest splash of the NFL offseason last week, agreeing to a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders for edge rusher Maxx Crosby in exchange for their first-round pick in 2026 and 2027. The trade brought yet another elite pass rusher into the AFC North for the Pittsburgh Steelers to contend with, right as they were about to be free of dealing with Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson.
At least, that's what was supposed to be the case.
Late Tuesday night, the blockbuster trade suddenly went up in smoke. First reported by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Raiders announced that the Ravens had backed out of the deal.
From the #Raiders: pic.twitter.com/6oMYCOLZfi
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 10, 2026
The Pittsburgh Steelers will no longer be facing Maxx Crosby following the Ravens decision to axe their trade with the Raiders
The trade falling apart is reportedly due to a failed physical, as Crosby is dealing with a knee issue he played through most of last season with the Raiders. If that is the case, then the Ravens' backing out makes plenty of sense. Trading two first-round picks for an older (and apparently injured) pass rusher was always going to be a risk, but Baltimore clearly felt like it was time to make a big move to keep their Super Bowl hopes alive.
With the trade officially dead, the attention will turn to the bevy of free agents that the Raiders have signed over the past few days, including former Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum. Will those moves still be agreed upon when the new league year begins at 4:00 pm EST on Wednesday? Or will Las Vegas change course now that a Crosby trade isn't taken care of?
Cap space shouldn't be a determining factor, as the Raiders have plenty of space even if Crosby sticks around. They could also restructure his deal to free up more room if they need to. But will players like Kwity Paye and Malcolm Koonce still be offered deals at the edge spot? Will they still be willing to reset the market for Linderbaum?
All of these questions and more are yet to be answered, but Steelers fans can at least breathe easier knowing Crosby isn't going to be helping the Ravens in their quest to unseat them in the AFC North.