Driven by his maniacal obsession with being the best edge rusher on the planet, Maxx Crosby was back in his natural habitat at the crack of dawn Wednesday.
Inside the Raiders’ facility, grinding away.
Just as he does pretty much every single day.
The first player in the building, the last player to leave. Rain or shine. In season or out of season. For Crosby, there is no off switch to the Mamba mentality he’s adopted since turning his life around and completely devoting himself to being the greatest game-wrecker in football history.
He’s crazy like that. It’s what’s made him one of the NFL’s most feared and complete edge rushers.
In that sense, it was almost as if the events of the past six days never happened.
The Raiders acquiesced to Crosby’s trade demand, sending him to the Ravens for two first-round picks.
The emotional farewell video he posted on social media over the weekend, in which he expressed his undying love for his former team, while promising to give his new team everything he has to bring it a Super Bowl championship.
But most importantly, the incredible turn everything took on Tuesday when the Ravens pulled an about-face by backing out of the trade over concerns about Crosby’s injured knee.
It’s been a whirlwind, to say the least.
Mere hours after that emotional roller-coaster ride came to a halt, and Crosby hopped off the plane that carried him home to Las Vegas from Baltimore, he was toiling away in the Raiders’ building as if nothing had happened.
Of course, everyone knows that wasn’t the case. So much happened that it’s impossible to ignore the vastly different Raiders world Crosby is returning to compared with the one he left just a few days ago.
And how unsettled things still are about his future in Las Vegas.
While Crosby went through his normal routine on the lower level of the Raiders’ building, a far different scene unfolded upstairs with the club’s football people, including general manager John Spytek and coach Klint Kubiak.
To be sure, the Raiders weren’t happy with how things went down with the Ravens. Mostly in how Baltimore handled things.
But it’s a new day in Las Vegas, where minority owner Tom Brady, Spytek and Kubiak have injected practicality and prudence into the Raiders’ operation.
Part of that places a high priority on swiftly and smartly responding to whatever situation develops.
Wednesday marked the first day of the new league year, meaning Spytek and his group could start finalizing the numerous free agent deals they agreed on over the previous 48 hours.
Fortunately, the structure of their free agent deals, totaling over $280 million in salary, allows them to account for Crosby’s return and his $35.791 million price tag for 2026.
In the opening hours of free agency, the Raiders made several moves, adding Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum (three years, $81 million), Packers linebacker Quay Walker (three years, $40.5 million), Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean (three years, $36 million), Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor (three years, $35 million) and Colts defensive end Kwity Paye (three years, $48 million).
In addition, they re-signed cornerback Eric Stokes to a three-year, $30 million deal, defensive end Malcolm Koonce to a one-year, $11 million deal, and traded for Bills cornerback Taron Johnson and his $8.7 million 2026 salary.
They fully intend to honor all the commitments they made as a result.
Meanwhile, with other roster spots to fill, they were busy trying to close additional deals.
Amid all that, calls were coming in from teams still interested in trading for Crosby.
It was a reminder of the asset the Raiders still have in Crosby — and the renewed importance of maximizing it.
One way or another.
It essentially comes down to two different paths, both of which they are completely open to. They either reinsert Crosby alongside a far stronger supporting cast and move forward together.
Or, someone calls them with a compelling offer, and they trade him.
“But whatever they do, it will be on their terms,” an NFL executive said. “They hold all the cards.”
Whether Crosby wants to remain with the Raiders or his heart is still set on being traded, the Raiders will do what they feel is best for the organization.
They can do so while operating in a far stronger position than they did just a few days ago.
The moves the team made at the outset of free agency — adding multiple starting-quality players between the ages of 25 and 27 — have been lauded throughout the NFL.
“It’s not just the talent they brought in, it’s the level of character they added,” a rival NFL personnel executive said. “That’s important to John and Klint; they are trying to build a new culture. And they nailed that part of it.”
If the worst thing that comes from all this is that they have to add one of the best pass rushers to their revamped roster, is that really a bad thing?
On the other hand, if the Bears, Cowboys or other teams come calling with an offer of two first-round picks, that isn’t a terrible thing, either.
“On some level, they already turned that corner in terms of not only imagining a world without Maxx but also living it in,” an NFL executive said. “Whatever emotional toll that took, it’s already been dealt with. And they probably got excited about what the future held, especially the (two first-round picks) to help their rebuild.”
In other words, whatever apprehension they might have about moving on from the heart and soul of their franchise, and the ramifications that might have with their fan base, no longer exist.
It would make trading him a second time far easier.
“For all the emotions they’ve dealt with the last few days, it’s left them in a pretty strong position,” an NFL personnel executive said. “There’s merit to keeping him and trading him.”
The Raiders will stay flexible.
But they are working from a position of strength.