Raiders GM Addresses Canceled Maxx Crosby Trade With Ravens

John Spytek shares his thoughts on Maxx Crosby returning to the Raiders after the canceled trade.

Maxx Crosby remains with the Raiders after the Ravens backed off the trade. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Raiders have embraced the return of Maxx Crosby since the Ravens’ surprising decision to back out of their trade for the star defensive end. Despite making the bold choice to send two first-round picks to Las Vegas in exchange for Crosby, Baltimore called off the trade after Crosby did not pass his physical.

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta didn’t go into detail or reference Crosby’s medicals when talking about the cancelled trade to the media. ESPN reported earlier this week that Baltimore was concerned about Crosby’s future due to a “degenerative issue in his knee.” ESPN also detailed that sources from the Raiders are skeptical that his medicals were the “sole reason” for the trade falling through.

More: Ravens GM Explains Why Maxx Crosby Trade Fell Through

The Raiders announced the canceled trade in a terse post on social media two weeks ago. The cancellation of the trade happened after the Raiders committed significant money to players in free agency—thinking they would no longer be paying Crosby’s salary—and also prevented them from gaining a pair of first-round picks. Even so, the Raiders and general manager John Spytek were more than ready to welcome Crosby back to Las Vegas after the sudden shift.

“My relationship with Maxx since I've gotten here has been great. We had a lot of conversations throughout the season, at the end of the season obviously, through the offseason and obviously we were presented with a difficult decision to make. Things have a way of going a certain way and working out the way they're supposed to,” Spytek told JT The Brick. “We welcomed him like he never left, because he really never did. Excited to see him work hard and attack the rehab like we know. I know he’s going to be back ready to rock in August this year and have many good years ahead of him still.”

Crosby now heads back to a Raiders squad seemingly (and perhaps finally) on the rise after signing center Tyler Linderbaum, wide receiver Jalen Nailor, linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker and defensive ends Kwity Paye and Malcolm Koonce in free agency. These signings all come before the Raiders are expected to take quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the draft next month, which should only add to the optimism surrounding the team.

Not only did the Raiders manage to land a number of quality free agents, but they began seeing players more interested in coming to Vegas—particularly with their signings of Dean and Walker.

“It kind of happened at the same time,” Spytek said of the dual linebacker signings. “They both started to show a lot of interest in coming here... When people start to seek you out a little bit, think the Silver and Black, and the Raiders and Las Vegas is where I want to go. That’s a neat thing to be a part of.”

Outside of the Raiders’ shutting down Crosby late last season due to a knee injury—which largely led to him initially getting traded to the Ravens—the star edge rusher has long expressed his love for the franchise. Even when he thought he was heading to Baltimore, he still wished for the Raiders to have success going forward. Now, extenuating circumstances have led Crosby back to Las Vegas, where he rejoins a group also eager to represent the Silver and Black and rise from the cellar of the AFC West.

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