The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need two things right now: an elixir to the pain of losing Mike Evans and a pass-rusher. Maxx Crosby would have been a perfect fit, but the Ravens swooped in and snatched him in their talons.
Or so we thought.
While the Ravens' two first-round picks were too much for the Buccaneers to match, the trade unexpectedly fell apart on Tuesday night. Baltimore backed out of the deal after Crosby failed his physical and all of the moving pieces are headed back to where they originally belonged.
Per league source: Maxx Crosby did not pass his physical with Baltimore. The Ravens were reportedly “frustrated” with the outcome and have expressed concerns about how the Raiders disclosed his medical status.
— Bryan Aguada (@Bryan_Aguada) March 11, 2026
Tampa Bay Buccaneers can offset the loss of Mike Evans by swinging a big trade for Maxx Crosby
Imagine waking up on Thursday to learn that the Buccaneers are not only back in on Crosby, but may actually have a chance to pull it off. There is a lot going on behind the scenes.
For starters, the other teams that were all-in on Crosby have moved on. The Cowboys, bless their Jerry Jones' hearts, were reportedly so close to a deal that it was practically done. When the Raiders went with the offer from Baltimore, Dallas made a trade with Green Bay for Rashan Gary.
Will the Cowboys nix that trade and go back after Crosby? Maybe it is, after all, Jones calling the shots. Around the league, teams have been spending like crazy to get the top players off the free agent heap. Tampa? Not so much.
The biggest news was losing Mike Evans to the 49ers. The big addition is Alex Anzalone from the Lions. Crosby is a much bigger fish, and here is the potential "best" part of all this. The Raiders have been blowing through free-agent cap space like it was water, nearly $200 million in new money.
It is unclear how Crosby will affect their cap situation by the league's official free agency start, but if they are up against a wall, those two first-round picks may not be on the table for anyone. If the price drops, the Bucs need to be on the phone.
Jason Licht's slow start to free agency may actually be the catalyst to get back into the Crosby race. Fans should remain skeptical, of course. There are a lot of moving pieces here, but a thoroughbred defensive end was just traded in the last 48 hours and sent back in the last 12. That rarely happens.
The Ravens knew Crosby was recovering from a knee injury, and any team that makes a play will subject him to a much more thorough examination and testing. So will Tampa if given the opportunity.