Raiders, Crosby at odds over availability for last 2 games of season

In another sign the Raiders are turning their attention to the future, they informed star defensive end Maxx Crosby on Friday that they may be shutting him down for the rest of the season.

The decision to sit Crosby for at least Sunday’s game is out of precaution for the left knee injury Crosby has been dealing with recently.

The 2-13 Raiders are in line to select first overall in the 2026 draft if they lose their last two games. They host the New York Giants (2-13) on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium and the Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 4.

Raiders coach Pete Carroll did not say the decision to shut down Crosby will be for the rest of the season, but added “that could happen.”

Upon hearing the news, a frustrated Crosby told Carroll that he wanted to leave the Raiders building. Carroll said he allowed Crosby to take the rest of the day off.

“He’s talking about, ‘I’d like to get out of here,’ ” Carroll said. “And I said, ‘Yeah, get out of here.’ So he took off.”

Carroll said Crosby has been dealing with the injury for more than nine weeks and doing everything possible, including a highly managed work week, to play every game. But after evaluating the knee this week, it was clear they needed to protect one of the best pass rushers in the league from further injury.

“If we let him, he’d have been out there and he would not have hesitated,” Carroll said. “But he knows that he’s banged up.”

‘Anticipated it all the way’

Carroll said he understood Crosby’s reaction.

“I anticipated it all the way throughout,” Carroll said. “It was exactly like you would think he would do and he should do, and I agree with him a thousand percent on how he responded. And I responded the same way, and I get it.”

Defensive end Charles Snowden, whose playing time is expected to increase in Crosby’s absence, was not surprised by his teammates’ reaction.

“Not in the slightest,” Snowden said. “Maxx wants to play football. When he can’t play football, he’s gonna be upset. I’m right there with him.”

The Raiders this week put star tight end Brock Bowers and starting safety Jeremy Chinn on the injured reserve list, another sign they were managing key assets for the future.

Crosby said this week he is focused on the rest of the season and not the No. 1 draft pick.

“Yeah, I don’t give a (expletive) about the pick. I don’t play for that,” Crosby said. “My job is to be the best defensive end in the world.”

Last game as Raider?

While Carroll downplayed that any rift with Crosby was created by Friday’s decision, Crosby’s reaction and the current state of the Raiders put his future with the team in question.

Crosby is the ultimate competitor, and it would have been a total surprise had he willingly abided by the Raiders’ wishes. Especially knowing he is capable of playing. In time, those emotions could subside.

But with the team clearly eyeing a rebuild, Friday’s developments could be a catalyst for him and the club to examine their relationship.

If, Crosby, 28, was wary of the prospects of yet another rebuild, this might be a chance for him to ask for a trade to maximize his prime years. One of the top defensive ends in the game, Crosby would be highly coveted via trade.

According to an NFL executive who spoke on the condition of anonymity Friday, Crosby would fetch at least two first-round picks. After signing a contract extension this year, the executive said Crosby’s contract is “easily tradeable.”

Crosby was guaranteed $62.5 million at the time of the signing, which accounted for his 2025 and 2026 salaries. His $29 million salary for the 2027 season becomes guaranteed on March 13, 2026.

That means a team that trades for Crosby would assume roughly $60 million in salary through the 2027 season. Crosby is under contract for a nonguaranteed $53.9 million for the 2028 and 2029 seasons.

From the Raiders’ perspective, the draft assets in a Crosby trade could go a long way toward their rebuild. They also would suffer just a $5.1 million salary cap hit while saving $30 million in cash and cap space.”

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.