The news just broke that the Baltimore Ravens have backed out of their trade deal with the Las Vegas Raiders for 5-time Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby. The official tampering period for the NFL free agent period opened on Monday. This allows for NFL players and their agents to officially open negotiations with other teams and potentially iron out deals for next season. On Monday, it was announced that the Las Vegas Raiders were trading Maxx Crosby, a 5-time Pro Bowl defensive edge, to the Baltimore Ravens for their first-round draft picks in both 2026 and 2027.[1]
There are a couple of important things to highlight regarding the Ravens pulling out of the deal. The biggest question on most people’s mind, is whether the Ravens are allowed to pull out of the deal. The short answer is yes. The NFL league year does not start until Wednesday March 11, at 4pm E.D.T.[2] All of the trades that have been announced, and the agreements that have been reached, cannot be signed until that time. Until the contract is signed, it is not binding. The Ravens and Maxx Crosby have not officially signed the contract and thus is it allowable for the Ravens to back out.
The second question is why the Ravens backed out of the trade. All trades in the NFL are subject to the player passing a physical. The NFL allows each team to evaluate a player under their own terms, and then make a decision based on that examination. [3] The Ravens medical staff did not clear Crosby to play.[4] The last two games of the 2025-2026 season, the Raiders decided to sit Crosby for a knee injury. Following the end of the season, Crosby had surgery to repair his torn meniscus.[5] According to Crosby’s agent he is recovering well from his surgery, and should be able to return for the offseason programs. [6] Despite this, the Ravens medical staff had concerns regarding Crosby’s long-term ability to play, which ultimately contributed to the decision to call off the trade.[7]
So, what happens next? The Raiders deal with the Ravens falling apart has ramifications for the Raiders moving forward. The Ravens seem unlikely to renegotiate the trade because after they backed out they signed Trey Hendrickson to a four-year $120 million deal.[8] The Cowboys, who were also interested in a Crosby trade, have also made defensive acquisitions since the initial trade was announced and won’t make a push for Crosby a second time.[9] The free agency period is still in full swing, so it is possible we see a resolution on this in the next couple of days. However, it is also possible that no team is willing to give up what the Ravens originally were. Should the Raiders still want to trade Crosby, they may have to take less for him.
[1] https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/breaking-news/article/raiders-reportedly-trading-5-time-pro-bowl-de-maxx-crosby-to-ravens-022021503.html
[2] https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/48168371/whats-next-maxx-crosby-las-vegas-raiders-baltimore-ravens-fallout-canceled-trade
[3] Id.
[4] https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/maxx-crosby-back-in-las-vegas-to-rehab-surgeon-says-his-recovery-is-going-well
[5] Id.
[6] Id.
[7] https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7106276/2026/03/10/maxx-crosby-trade-ravens-back-out-raiders/
[8] https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/48168497/2026-nfl-free-agency-maxx-crosby-trade-backed-physical-raiders-ravens-edge-rushers
[9] https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7106276/2026/03/10/maxx-crosby-trade-ravens-back-out-raiders/
Julia Hoffmann is a third year law student at the University of Buffalo School of Law. Originally from the West Coast, she has always had an interest in the cross section between the law and sports. Julia is a huge fan of hockey, and watches all things women's sports.
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