What Ravens’ Acquisition of Maxx Crosby Means for Browns Offensive-Line Plans

The NFL landscape was turned upside down on Friday night when reports emerged that the Baltimore Ravens are set to trade their first-round picks for 2026 and 2027 to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for pass rusher Maxx Crosby.

However, the deal won't be finalized until the new league year kicks off on Wednesday.

This acquisition of Crosby has the potential to reshape the entire league, positioning the Ravens as strong Super Bowl contenders. Clearly, this move will have a profound effect on the Cleveland Browns as well.

How the Browns have to fix their offensive line

Cleveland has to face Baltimore twice each season, and now the Browns are going to have their hands full trying to handle Crosby.

The only concern is that Cleveland doesn’t have the strongest players on the offensive line to stop Crosby from reaching whoever will be playing quarterback this season.

The Browns agreed to a trade on Monday, sending a 2026 fifth-round pick to the Houston Texans in exchange for offensive lineman Tytus Howard. Howard has experience playing both right tackle and guard during his NFL career. The Browns could utilize him in either position, but it appears they prefer to have him play right tackle.

Cleveland appears to have resolved its right tackle position, but it still faces challenges at the other four offensive line spots, with the most significant issue being at left tackle.

Finding a good left tackle in the NFL is like searching for a franchise quarterback; it's extremely challenging, and very few become available in free agency or through trades.

Typically, teams need to secure their franchise left tackle at the top of the NFL Draft. Fortunately, Cleveland has the No. 6 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which puts it in a great position to do just that.

There was a possibility the Browns weren't planning to draft a left tackle at No. 6 and might have considered taking a wide receiver or even the best available player. However, now that the Ravens have secured Crosby, finding someone to protect the quarterback's blind side might be their best option.

The Browns face more than just Crosby twice a season; they also have to contend with the Steelers' pass rusher T.J. Watt, who has been a thorn in Cleveland's side since 2017.

Cleveland boasts the best pass rusher in the league, Myles Garrett. It would be incredibly beneficial for the rookie left tackle to practice against him every day, as this will prepare him to face tough competitors like Crosby and Watt.