Why Did the Baltimore Ravens Back out of the Crosby Trade for Maxx Crosby?

The NFL offseason often delivers surprises, but few expected one of the league’s biggest potential trades of 2026 to fall apart at the last minute. The Baltimore Ravens had agreed to acquire star pass rusher Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders in a deal that would have reshaped both teams.

Then, just as the move appeared set to go through, the trade collapsed. The Raiders announced in an official statement that the Ravens had “backed out” of the agreement, leaving many NFL fans wondering what exactly happened. Unfortunately, the Raiders' statement went on to explain they would not comment further on the situation, leaving NFL fans in the dark.

So, why did the Baltimore Ravens back out of the Crosby trade deal? Keep reading for the details.

The Ravens backed out of the Crosby trade after medical concerns reportedly surfaced during the physical required to finalize the deal. According to reports from ESPN and NFL Network, the issue emerged when Baltimore’s medical staff evaluated Maxx before the trade could become official.

In the NFL, trades involving players are contingent on the player passing a physical exam. Even if two teams agree on compensation, the move cannot be finalized unless the acquiring team is comfortable with the player’s medical outlook.

The Ravens and Raiders had reportedly agreed to a deal that would send Maxx to Baltimore in exchange for two first-round picks. Maxx had even traveled to Baltimore and publicly expressed excitement about joining the team before the agreement fell apart.

The concerns surrounding Maxx’s physical appear to be connected to a knee injury he dealt with during the 2025 NFL season. Maxx played through the issue for much of the year before the Raiders placed him on injured reserve for the final two games.

During the offseason, Maxx underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. While the procedure was intended to help him fully recover, he was still early in the rehabilitation process when Baltimore evaluated him.

Maxx’s camp pushed back on the idea that his recovery was a problem. His agent, CJ LaBoy, said the pass rusher was actually “ahead of schedule” in his rehab and expected to return to full strength.

The surgeon who performed the procedure also told ESPN that Maxx was “doing very well” in his recovery and progressing according to plan. Even so, the Ravens still had to decide whether the injury created too much long-term risk. There’s some speculation the team got “cold feet” regarding his recovery time and decided to back out of the deal.

On X (formerly Twitter), Maxx also indirectly made it clear his sobriety had nothing to do with the deal falling apart. He celebrated being sober for six years as of March 2026 and that “God doesn’t make mistakes.”

Once Baltimore’s medical staff raised concerns, the team chose not to finalize the deal. Because the trade had not yet been officially processed by the NFL, the Ravens were able to withdraw before the agreement became binding.

The situation also had ripple effects across the NFL offseason. The Raiders had already been preparing for life after Maxx, including making several major roster moves during free agency.

Baltimore quickly pivoted as well. After the Crosby deal fell through, Yahoo! Sports confirms that the Ravens moved to strengthen their pass rush by agreeing to a four-year, $112 million contract with defensive end Trey Hendrickson.

While the trade never became official, the near-deal still stands as one of the most dramatic twists of the NFL offseason.