Sources: Ravens to acquire Crosby in blockbuster

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- In the biggest trade in franchise history, the Baltimore Ravens are acquiring five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for first-round picks in 2026 and 2027, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Friday night.

The deal is contingent on Crosby passing a physical, which can't occur until the start of the new league year Wednesday.

This marks the first time in the Ravens' 31-year existence that they've used a first-round pick to trade for a veteran player. Baltimore had the No. 14 pick in this year's draft.

Among the teams it beat out for Crosby were the Dallas Cowboys, who were willing to offer a first- and a second-round pick for the star pass-rusher, sources told Schefter.

Crosby, 28, significantly upgrades a struggling Ravens pass rush that totaled 30 sacks last season, which was Baltimore's fewest in 15 years. Last season was also the first time since the Ravens' inaugural 1996 campaign that they didn't have an edge rusher with more than 4.5 sacks.

The Ravens are making this uncharacteristic offseason splash after a disappointing 2025 season in which they finished 8-9, failed to make the playoffs and fired longtime coach John Harbaugh. Baltimore is looking for a game-changer like Crosby to get over the postseason hurdle and reach the Super Bowl for the first time since 2012.

The addition of Crosby gives the Ravens their most decorated and feared pass-rusher in his prime since Terrell Suggs, the franchise's all-time sacks leader who played in Baltimore from 2003 to 2018. Crosby has produced four double-digit sack seasons in his seven-year career. Over that span, the Ravens have had two edge rushers with 10 or more sacks in a season: Kyle Van Noy (12.5 in 2024) and Odafe Oweh (10 in 2024).

This is huge welcome gift for new Ravens coach Jesse Minter, whose expertise is on defense and will call plays on that side of the ball. Since entering the league in 2019, Crosby has 360 quarterback pressures, which are 29 more than the next closest player, according to ESPN Research.

The Ravens have historically been reluctant to give up coveted draft capital because of their philosophy of building through the draft. Before Baltimore landed Crosby, the highest draft pick it ever ha given up was a second-rounder for middle linebacker Roquan Smith in November 2022.

There have only been three drafts where the Ravens didn't have their original first-round pick: 2004, 2010 and 2012. In each instance, the Ravens were either moving back into the first round (2003 for quarterback Kyle Boller) or falling back later in the draft to acquire more picks (2010 and 2012).

Crosby's future in Las Vegas came into question late in the season when the Raiders placed him on injured reserve with two games left because of a knee injury. He was not pleased about the decision and left the building.

He initially injured his left knee on Oct. 19 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Still, he recorded 73 tackles (28 for loss) and 10 sacks on the season, earning his fifth Pro Bowl selection. But he leaves Las Vegas with just one playoff appearance, a loss in the 2021 season.

Las Vegas is entering a rebuild under new coach Klint Kubiak. It now has two first-round picks in this year's draft -- No. 1 and No. 14.

In addition to the Crosby move, the Raiders also are expected to release quarterback Geno Smith, barring a trade, before the start of the new league year Wednesday, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter earlier Friday.