Las Vegas Raiders superstar Maxx Crosby was nearly traded to the Baltimore Ravens earlier this offseason. In fact, he basically was, but the Ravens backed out of the deal in the midnight hour.
Trade speculation has still swirled around Crosby ever since then, and given that the Raiders are not expected to be contenders this season, it probably will persist until the NFL trade deadline.
However, if Las Vegas acquires another certain star defensive lineman, it could absolutely change the trajectory of Crosby’s future in the desert.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea has requested a trade due to a contract dispute with his team, and given that Vea is preparing to enter the final year of his deal, the Buccaneers may oblige.
Ted Nguyen of The Athletic has already reported that Vea would prefer “a California team or the Raiders,” so Las Vegas could be in pole position here.
Cooper Kleinberg of Pro Football Network recently compiled a list of the top three trade destinations for Vea, and not surprisingly, the Raiders made the cut.
“Maxx Crosby, who remains on the roster entering training camp, is the lone proven playmaker on the Raiders’ defense. The team’s defensive tackle group, led by Adam Butler and Benito Jones, doesn’t inspire much optimism,” Kleinberg wrote. “Vea, on the other hand, is a proven star who could help transform the Raiders’ defense, which has struggled in recent years.”
Kleinberg also noted that Las Vegas only a pair of third-round draft picks and three fourth-rounders next year, assets that could absolutely be used in a potential trade for Vea.
Vea is a two-time Pro Bowler who registered 34 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 13 quarterback hits in 2025. The 31-year-old has spent his entire NFL career in Tampa Bay, entering the league as a first-round pick in 2018.
The 6-foot-4, 347-pound defender would absolutely make life much easier for Crosby in the trenches and could potentially soften what appears to be a deteriorating relationship between Crosby and the Raiders’ front office.
Crosby signed a three-year, $106.5 million contract extension with Las Vegas in March 2025, a deal that runs through 2029. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he will stay for the duration of the pact.
Acquiring Vea, however, would go a long way in convincing Crosby that the Raiders are serious about building a winner around him, and making his job as a pass rusher more palatable in the process.
