On March 6 2026, The Las Vegas Raiders agreed to trade star defensive end Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens for two first round picks that included 2026 and 2027. The whole NFL fanbase was shocked at this trade and thought it was set in stone.

Until March 11 2026 when the trade was nullified because “the evaluation of Crosby’s left knee, on which he had a torn meniscus repaired in January, failed to inspire confidence in the Ravens at their agreed-upon price point”(Epsein March 22, 2026). Maxx Crosby is an amazing player but the Ravens are looking to compete for a superbowl and picking up a defensive end that is coming off an injury is a risk they are not willing to take at the very moment.

Since this reverse trade, the Ravens “are now set to sign Cincinnati Bengals free agent Trey Hendrickson on a four-year deal”(Rapoport March 11, 2026). Overall this blockbuster trade will be one of the biggest what ifs in Baltimore Ravens and Las Vegas Raiders history since the two first round picks involved may turn out to be NFL superstars and the Raiders could have missed out. For the situation the Ravens’ decision isn’t necessarily bad since they need good players now. Only time will tell if the decision was the right one to make.