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The Maxx Crosby Trade to Baltimore Collapses After a Degenerative Knee Finding in the Physical. He Remains a Raider.

Crosby flew to Baltimore expecting to close the deal. Ravens GM Eric DeCosta was 'gutted.' The Raiders say he is healthy. Two organizations, two reads of the same knee.

The Maxx Crosby trade to the Baltimore Ravens collapsed Thursday after Ravens team doctors discovered what the organization described as a degenerative knee condition during a pre-trade physical, ending a transaction that had been widely reported as imminent and triggering an immediate and consequential pivot by Baltimore's front office.

Crosby, 28, had traveled from Las Vegas to Baltimore in anticipation of finalizing the deal. Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said publicly that the organization was "gutted" by the outcome. The Raiders, in their own statement, maintained that Crosby is healthy and productive — he recorded 10 sacks in 2025 while playing through a torn meniscus that required surgical repair in January — and that Baltimore backed out of a legitimate deal.

The specific finding cited by Baltimore — a degenerative condition separate from the January meniscus surgery — is a chronic structural issue distinct from the acute injury Crosby sustained and had repaired. Degenerative joint findings of this nature are common in players approaching their late twenties and do not necessarily predict imminent performance decline, but they do affect the organizational calculus around multi-year contractual commitments. The Ravens' medical staff determined the risk profile was inconsistent with the deal structure.

Within thirteen hours of the Crosby trade collapsing, Baltimore signed Trey Hendrickson — who led the NFL with 17.5 sacks in 2024 — to a four-year, $112 million contract, suggesting the organization had prepared contingency options before entering the Crosby physical process.

Crosby remains with Las Vegas. The Raiders have the cap space they anticipated gaining from the trade and a roster under construction around incoming quarterback Fernando Mendoza, expected to be selected first overall in April's draft. The Dallas Cowboys have been publicly mentioned as a potential alternative trade destination for Crosby, though no deal had materialized as of Thursday.


Sources: "Maxx Crosby trade falls through," ESPN | "Ravens back out of Crosby deal," NFL.com | "Crosby saga, Ravens pivot," FOX Sports

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