Why the 49ers Never Stood a Chance Trading for Maxx Crosby

There was no way the 49ers were ever going to acquire Maxx Crosby from the Raiders.

Nov 30, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) reacts against the Los Angeles Chargers during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

They actually did it. The Las Vegas Raiders actually traded star pass rusher Maxx Crosby.

After over a month of rumors and reports, Crosby is being traded to the Baltimore Ravens, crushing any hopes the San Francisco 49ers may have had. The Raiders will be acquiring a 2026 and a 2027 first-round pick from the Ravens.

That’s exactly what the Raiders were looking for ever since Crosby was mentioned in a trade. The best part of all is that the Raiders secured a second top-15 pick in the first round of this year’s draft.

The compensation the Raiders received is exactly why the 49ers stood no chance at ever acquiring Crosby. Their draft slot this year pales in comparison to where the Ravens are picking.

Maxx Crosby to the 49ers was a fantasy

Dec 7, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) leaves the field following a game against the Denver Broncos at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Las Vegas received the 14th overall pick from Baltimore. The best the Niners could do is give the Raiders their 27th overall pick and next year’s first round pick, which most likely would’ve ended up in the mid-20s again. 

If you’re the Raiders and you received an offer from the 49ers and the Ravens for their 2026 and 2027 first round pick, you’re obviously choosing the Ravens 100 times out of 100. San Francisco’s pick being so late in the first round is practically a second-rounder.

With the 14th pick in this year’s draft, the Raiders can now secure their quarterback of the future in Fernando Mendoza and another immediate impact player.

They wouldn’t be able to do that by accepting an offer from the 49ers, and that’s even assuming the 49ers were dabbling in trade negotiations.

I doubt the 49ers ever had more than a phone call with the Raiders. But even if they did, the Raiders are never going to accept anything from them. There wasn’t a player the 49ers could offer the Raiders that was going to sweeten the deal, along with their picks like the No. 14 pick would.

They had no shot. It was always a fantasy to think about the 49ers acquiring Crosby and pairing them up with Nick Bosa. Even if the 49ers had thrown a few more picks along with their two first-rounders, like two second-rounders as well, the Raiders still weren’t taking that.

That would be unwise of the 49ers to do for Crosby anyway. He’s not worth all of those picks added onto two firsts. Fans of the 49ers should not be grudge-holding John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan for failing to bring in Crosby.

It was never going to happen. They didn’t stand a chance, even if they did offer a good package, because it was never going to come close to anything that the Ravens could offer.

At least now the endless hypotheticals for Crosby can be over with for the 49ers.

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