Now 1-7 over the past eight games approaching Week 18, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need some help. This team has been collapsing for weeks now, and it's just largely been a forgettable mess. Tampa has taken ownership of the NFC South in recent years, but the wheels have fallen off.
Many have called for the team to fire Todd Bowles and even Jason Licht, but this franchise has largely been stable for years with these two men in the building. Not only has Tampa dealt with coaching changes on offense, but the injuries have really piled up this year.
While Bowles hasn't done a great job as the head coach, he's also not been in an ideal situation. One of Tampa's biggest issues this year has been getting to the quarterback. It's not a secret that this team needs another pass rusher, and this bombshell report could give Tampa a massive solution to this glaring issue.
League sources believe the Raiders could trade Maxx Crosby
This would be a major, league-altering trade if it were to go down:
For the first time, league sources believe the Raiders would be open to moving Maxx Crosby this offseason.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 3, 2026
The relationship between the two sides remains strained after the five-time Pro Bowler was shut down for the season: https://t.co/umvZZLtpZF pic.twitter.com/q9COsQwW22
Dianna Russini is well-connected and is hearing that the Raiders could move on from Maxx Crosby this coming offseason. This is obviously a huge development, especially for a team like the Buccaneers. In today's NFL, the three most important parts of a winning roster are the quarterback, offensive line, and pass rush.
Being able to protect the quarterback and get to opposing quarterbacks is why a team like the Denver Broncos are so good, for example. If the Raiders' front office begins to take calls on Maxx Crosby in the offseason, GM Jason Licht has to pick up the phone.
Crosby is a five-time Pro Bowler with 69.5 sacks, 133 tackles for loss, and 164 QB hits in just seven years in the NFL. He didn't miss a single game in the NFL until the 2024 season but still played in 12 contests last year, and he's played in 15 this year.
HIs contract is extremely tradeable, so that isn't an issue. The main thing here would be the Buccaneers having to compete with other teams to acquire Crosby, but a huge advantage they have is that the Bucs are in a different conference, so the Raiders might prefer sending Crosby as far away from the team as possible.
A strong pass rusher is someone who can change the entire performance of a defense, and with the Buccaneers in a win now mode, this trade makes all the sense in the world.