Bills Wanted to Trade for Maxx Crosby, According to Insider Report

The Bills tried to acquire the five-time Pro Bowl pass rusher before he was traded to the Baltimore Ravens.

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) warms up prior to the game against the Chicago Bears at Allegiant Stadium. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The trade that sent Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens sent shockwaves across the NFL landscape over the weekend, and it now appears as if the Buffalo Bills were in the running to acquire him.

Baltimore made a splash move for one of the league’s most fearsome pass rushers from the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a pair of first-round picks. The cost for Crosby was a bit exorbitant, and as it turns out, the Bills had a hand in driving it up.

‘Robust market’

Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. (19) is tackled by Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) during the second half at Allegiant Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

As revealed by Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Buffalo was in hot pursuit of the former Raider.

“At the combine, the Raiders found a robust market for Crosby, as you’d expect,” wrote Breer. “The framework of Vegas’s ask at that point was built off the Dallas-Green Bay blockbuster in August, which brought Micah Parsons to the Packers for two first-round picks and DT Kenny Clark.

He added, “Because of Crosby’s age (he will be 29 in August), the Raiders knew it might be tough to find that kind of haul. But with the Bills, Bears, Cowboys and Ravens among those lined up as the league descended on Indianapolis, the Raiders had leverage to drive the price up.”

Crosby is a five-time Pro Bowler who is coming off of a 10-sack season which was ended early due to injury. He's recorded 69.5 sacks over his seven-year career.

Why Bills didn’t land Crosby

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) practices before the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

What ultimately excluded the Bills from discussions was their position in the 2026 draft order. Buffalo’s first-round pick comes at the end of the first round, and that didn’t hold enough value for the Raiders to consider the Bills a viable trade partner.

“A dividing line for the Raiders was where the picks being discussed landed in the first round,” continued Breer. “The Cowboys held the 12th pick, while the Ravens had the 14th selection. And it led to teams bowing out.

pic.twitter.com/7xP7QuaNND

— Maxx Crosby (@CrosbyMaxx) March 7, 2026

“The Bills were the most prominent example, holding the 26th pick, which was 500 points on the Jimmy Johnson draft chart, less valuable than Dallas’s pick, and 400 points less valuable than Baltimore’s pick. … That meant Buffalo would essentially have to add a second-round pick to whatever Dallas or Baltimore offered, which is why, in the end, the Bills bowed out of the bidding.”

It would have been nice to see the Bills go for it all and trade for a player of Crosby’s caliber, but it takes two to tango, and two first-rounders along with a second-round pick may have been too much for the veteran pass rusher.

What's next

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) warms up before the game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

As a result of their failed pursuit of the Raiders’ star, along with their trade for wide receiver DJ Moore last week, the Bills are likely to focus on the defensive side of the ball in free agency. Look for Buffalo to begin contacting prospective free agents when the NFL’s legal tampering period begins on Monday at noon.

Breer floated John Franklin-Myers as a potential option for the Bills on the open market. The Bills were tied for 20th in the NFL with 36 sacks a season ago and will hope to increase that number in 2026.