For the first time since the failed Max Crosby trade, Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spitek and head coach Clint Kubiak publicly addressed the fallout — and both looked like men who came out the other side just fine.
At the NFL’s annual league meetings in Phoenix this week, the two spoke candidly about the five-time Pro Bowl defensive end and what the chaotic sequence of events at the start of free agency ultimately meant for the franchise.
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Earlier this month, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on March 6 that a deal was underway to send Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for two first-round draft picks. The new league year was required to start on 11 March before the deal could be made official. But before that could happen, Baltimore backed out – citing concerns about Crosby’s surgically repaired knee – and the pass rusher returned to the silver and black.
The timing of that reversal didn’t disrupt the team’s offseason plans as much as it might seem, Spytek said.
“Just the timing of it, it didn’t really happen,” Spytek said. “We did what we did on Monday, and that was Tuesday when it all happened. We had a lot of cap space and a lot of cash was provided to us by Mark [Davis] And the ownership group has to be aggressive and build the team in the best way possible. I’ll echo what Clint said – the way it worked out, it was like we got another elite defensive end in free agency.
Those signings — notably center Tyler Linderbaum and edge rusher Qwity Paye — came during the legal tampering window, just before the Ravens pulled the plug.
Development of a General Manager
Crosby has seen a parade of general managers and head coaches come through the organization since being drafted in 2019. Spytek, who has worked to build trust with his star player from the beginning, said communication between them has never stopped.
“I have had many great conversations with Max since the beginning of his tenure here and we have had many great conversations throughout the season,” Spytek said. “We had a deal at the end of the season, which everyone knows about. We talked about it in the months leading up to the deal. Max and I have continued to have good conversations since. I know he and Clint have had good conversations, too. We just try to tell each other the truth and not have a lot of secrets or unknowns. Max, Clint and I will continue to work that way.”
Spytek also talked about the importance of making those difficult roster decisions – ones that impact players beyond the football field.
“Those are all challenging conversations,” Spytek said. “I try to sit down with that person in that moment and explain the reasons why we’re doing it, and try to be as honest and candid as I can. For me, those are all deeply personal conversations because you know how deeply it affects that person. I don’t just see them as a player. This is changing their lives.”
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Kubiak: “Our team is better now”
Kubiak came to Las Vegas after helping Seattle win the Super Bowl last month, giving him a compressed timeline to assemble his coaching staff — all while watching this trade saga play out in real time.
He didn’t hide how he felt when Spytech told him the deal was off.
“Anytime there’s a trade, you always know there’s a downside to it,” Kubiak said. “Once it happened, I was really excited. When Spy came and talked to me about it, we sat down and my first thing was to smile. ‘Oh, we have Max back. Are you kidding me? It’s great.’ “Our team has gotten better.”
With the signing of Paye, Malcolm Koonce retained, and Tyree Wilson still on the team, Las Vegas enters 2026 with legitimate depth along the defensive line. Crosby’s return only solidifies what was already shaping up to be a priority area.
One remaining question is whether Crosby will be in the reckoning immediately when the regular season opens. He had meniscus surgery in January and is not expected to make a full recovery until this summer.
“These are things we have to work on,” Kubiak said. “We have to get him healthy enough to practice. I know he’s going to put himself in great condition to do that, and we’ll probably have conversations about that as we move forward. Just taking small steps right now.”
The coach did not seem worried about the deadline. He’s seen how Crosby works.
“Max is our guy. He’s the leader on defense.”
Also Read: Las Vegas Raiders: 5 second round pick options for GM John Spytek
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