Seattle Seahawks’ Dream Trade Deadline Target May Be Even More Available This Offseason

Just Win, Baby! becomes Win One, Maybe?

It’s been a disastrous 2025 for the Las Vegas Raiders in virtually every way imaginable.

Pete Carroll, a high-profile coaching hire who was supposed to at least invoke stability and something of a passable floor, has stewarded the team to a 2-13 record and the worst season for the franchise since 2006. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, whose 32nd ranked offense was only the tip of the iceberg of the problems he introduced to the squad, was fired.

Tom McMahon, special teams coordinator, was also canned midseason, and there’s an expectation from many that Carroll will be a one-and-doner. Geno Smith, the quarterback they traded for in the expectation of getting their best signal-caller since Rich Gannon, has a good chance of being an offseason cap casualty. It’s a team that needs a complete reboot.

And rebooting often means trading your star player, so it’s no surprise that all eyes are on edge rusher Maxx Crosby. The 28-year-old defender has been a stud for Las Vegas all the way back to when they still played in Oakland. Seven seasons, five Pro Bowls, two All-Pros, 69.5 sacks, 133 tackles for loss, 29 passes batted down, he’s done it all.

Except do damage in the postseason. Crosby has played in one career playoff game, a 26-19 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021, and right now the Raiders seem further away from making it back than ever before. 6-26 over the last two seasons, no matter how much pride Crosby takes in wearing the silver and black, I’m sure a change of scenery seems appealing.

A Parting Of The Ways?

Especially after recent events. Per Ian Rapoport, Crosby has been informed he’s not going to play in tomorrow’s game against the New York Giants, as the team wants to protect him from exacerbating a knee injury he suffered in October. And per Jay Glazer, this decision infuriated Crosby to the point where he left the Raiders’ building entirely. Hmmm.

The math behind trading Maxx Crosby is also quite simple, despite his recent contract extension, due to the precise language of the contract. OverTheCap has the Raiders on the hook for about $5.1 million in 2026 in the event of a trade, and then nothing beyond that, with the team trading for him inheriting the rest of his four-year, $121.2 million deal. Hmmmmmm.

Now, let’s keep putting the puzzle pieces together. It was reported at the time of the trade deadline that Seattle was attempting to make a big move for a star player. While we can never know for 100% certainty since nothing happened, it is suspected that their target was Maxx Crosby, so there’s reason to believe Schneider is interested. HMMMMMMMM.

How much losing can one man take? — Maxx Crosby (98) leaves the field following a game against the Denver Broncos at Allegiant Stadium. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

While Seattle has had a very effective pass rush this season, they lack a star edge. DeMarcus Lawrence made the Pro Bowl, but is turning 34-years-old this offseason. Uchenna Nwosu is entering the final year of his contract in 2026, and has yet to return to the heights of his 2022 season. Boye Mafe is an impending free agent. Derick Hall is entering a contract year.

Injecting Maxx Crosby into the room could save Seattle from a difficult juggling act that has no guarantee of success. A surefire, guaranteed star, the presence of Maxx would give Seattle comfort in not only allowing Mafe (who has been something of a disappointment in 2025) to walk, and also throw either Nwosu or Hall into the Crosby trade.

A 2026 edge room of Crosby, Lawrence, Hall, and Cheap Free Agent X might not be quite as balanced as the 2025 room, but it would likely be more effective, particularly when it comes to finding ways to generate straight-up pressure against the better offensive lines in football.

Back to the trade deadline. Assuming Seattle attempted to trade for Crosby, they were obviously unsuccessful. Why they were unsuccessful isn’t known for sure, but my guess is it was a simple matter of compensation. Seattle was thinking something along the lines of two first round picks and a sweetener, while Vegas wanted three firsts. Something along those lines.

At that point in time, the Raiders had some leverage in negotiations. The deadline might get the Seahawks to agree to something they otherwise wouldn’t, there weren’t really any other options to improve the edge room to that degree available, and if Seattle felt they were a stud edge from winning a Super Bowl, they should be willing to give up anything to make it happen.

But that all changes in the offseason. The Super Bowl is now nearly a year away, there are other avenues that can be pursued to improve the team at that point, and it’s easier to talk yourself into what you have being sufficient to win it all. And by that point the Raiders will probably be in the deepest depths of a total rebuild. The price should go down.

Two first rounders and Nwosu? Two first rounders and Hall? Two first rounders and a third? Two firsts and Jalen Milroe? The possibilities open up a bit. At the very least, I’d expect Schneider to try again, while still holding the line on how much he’s willing to part with for one player.

There will be plenty of other bidders, of course, given how good Crosby is, and that could drive the price back up. Those other bidders will likely have higher draft picks than Seattle, who currently project to have a first rounder in the 30s. And if the Raiders perceive this upcoming draft to be a weaker draft, as many do, they may not value any 2026 first all that highly.

But if you want to supercharge the edge rusher room for Seattle in 2026, this is one of the few ways to do it reliably and immediately, so I fully expect John Schneider to pursue this. The Seahawks have plenty of cap space and can easily afford to take on Crosby’s contract, he’s a great fit for this defense, and it’d be the best chance for the star to finally make a playoff run.

There's a lot more to celebrate in Seattle, Maxx. — Maxx Crosby (98) reacts after a play during the second half against the Tennessee Titans at Allegiant Stadium. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Just Win, Baby! becomes Win One, Maybe?

A Parting Of The Ways?

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