Insider Confirms The Maxx Crosby-Bears Connection Fans Have Yearned For
Expectations are that a resolution is coming on the Maxx Crosby front, one way or another, in the next week or so. Either the star defensive end would work things out with the Las Vegas Raiders, or he’d be traded. There is no shortage of suitors. Several teams have been in contact with the Raiders about a potential deal, including NFC heavyweights like the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles. Are the Chicago Bears even involved? Yes. They’ve been keeping tabs on the Crosby situation since it began unfolding at the end of the regular season.
What hasn’t been known is where the 29-year-old himself stands on the matter. He has not openly requested a trade, but there have been rumblings that he wants to win. The Raiders are entering another rebuild phase, and that will take time. Crosby’s prime won’t last much longer. He wants to go somewhere he can chase a championship. Does he have a preferred destination? As a matter of fact, he does. Benjamin Allbright of KOA Colorado, one of the most accurate NFL insiders in the business, dropped this little nugget.
Maxx Crosby to Chicago started feeling realistic a couple of weeks ago.
That was when quarterback Caleb Williams appeared on his podcast. The two spoke for an hour about various topics, including Crosby’s immense respect for Williams and the team’s accomplishments last season. It’s clear he has been paying close attention from afar. The timing of the appearance felt incredibly coincidental. Did Williams have it on good authority that Chicago had a real shot at landing the star pass rusher? This update from Allbright certainly gives that theory massive weight.
Remember, this is the same guy who correctly predicted the Bears would trade for Jonah Jackson. That was on March 1st, shortly before free agency began. If he’s saying this about Crosby now, it means he’s got reliable information. If the defensive end makes it clear he’d like to go to Chicago, it should make it easier to facilitate a deal. The tricky part, as Allbright mentioned, is the money. Right now, the Bears are still over the salary cap. They’d need to clear up lots of space to fit Crosby’s hefty $35 million cap hit onto the books.
A recent setback may ironically help the Bears there.
That is the sudden retirement of center Drew Dalman. While it is a significant loss for the Bears’ offensive line, it will clear out $10 million in cap space. Together with the expected trade release of Tremaine Edmunds, that will be $25 million. If the Bears were to trade D.J. Moore, as has been speculated for months, that would secure another $16 million. So there are moves they can make to get there, along with restructuring current contracts like Montez Sweat and Joe Thuney.
Better still, the Bears won’t be saddled with those precarious contracts for more than a year. They can cut several guys for significant cap relief in 2027. Maxx Crosby is under contract through 2029, so the Bears would control him for years to come. If he stays healthy, you’re looking at a guy who will give them 10-12 sacks every year. Even more if they find some interior pass rush help. This is a big opportunity for the Bears. It comes down to finding a trade package both teams can live with.