Report: Bengals Considered Blockbuster Trade Before Ravens Landed Maxx Crosby

CINCINNATI — The Bengals were one of the many teams that checked in on Maxx Crosby's availability last week before he was traded to the Ravens according to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer.

It's an intriguing report, especially considering the Bengals' needs on defense. Breer reported that the Bills, Bears, Cowboys and Ravens were the most aggressive early on, which helped the Raiders raise their asking price for Crosby.

Once the Bengals officially moved on from Trey Hendrickson, they showed interest in a Crosby trade.

"The Eagles did check in after those four teams and piqued Crosby’s interest, but Philly was never a factor with its focus on retaining Jaelan Phillips," Breer wrote. "The Bengals, on the verge of losing Trey Hendrickson in free agency, were another latecomer to the party. By then, over a quarter of the league’s 32 teams had shown some level of interest in Crosby, with a few others that he had less interest in going to throwing their hats in the ring as well."

It's No Secret the Bengals Love Crosby's Game

Dec 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) on the field after loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Bengals have praised Crosby in the past. From Joe Burrow to Zac Taylor—everyone in the building has respect for Crosby's play style.

“He’s one of the best players in the NFL,” Taylor said before Cincinnati's 26-19 win over Las Vegas in the 2022 Wild Card round. “He can disrupt an entire game, and I’ve made this statement to others around here, outside the players in our locker room, he’s one of my favorite players in this league. How he goes about every single snap – run game, pass game. Leadership he’s showing on that team. He put them in position to be in the playoffs where they’re at right now. There’s a lot of players around this league you respect, he’s certainly top-notch."

The Bengals probably balked at the idea of giving up the 10th pick in this year's draft and their first round pick next year. That would've topped the Ravens offer to the Raiders, but it would've also been a lot to give up.

Check out our poll question below. Read Breer's full breakdown here.

Should the Bengals have traded the 10th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and their 2027 first round pick to the Raiders in exchange for Maxx Crosby?
— James Rapien (@JamesRapien) March 7, 2026

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