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Raiders offer blunt reasoning to holding onto Maxx Crosby at trade deadline
The Raiders traded veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to the Vikings and are preparing rookie Fernando Mendoza to start, having judged that his progress in practice merits the opportunity. They kept defensive star Maxx Crosby because they see him as central to the team’s future and as a stabilising presence while Mendoza and first-year head coach Klint Kubiak find their footing.
Cousins went 4-5 with the Raiders, including wins in his first three starts, and gave Mendoza nine games to learn from a veteran. The club believes Mendoza now needs experience playing through mistakes himself. League sources said there was little trade discussion about Crosby, in part because Las Vegas made clear it wanted to retain him; Crosby has also said he wants to remain with the team.
In short
- Las Vegas traded Cousins to make way for rookie Fernando Mendoza.
- The Raiders see Crosby as a key part of their future.
- Crosby wants to stay, and the team made its position clear.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Keeping Maxx Crosby gives a young quarterback and first-year coach a proven leader to help establish standards during a difficult transition. The Raiders see him as central to their future, and his commitment to staying suggests retaining him could support continuity while Mendoza learns through game experience.
The case against
Trading Crosby could have brought valuable draft assets or young players to support a broader rebuild, especially as the Raiders shift to a rookie quarterback. Even a respected leader may have limited impact on results during a transition, so a thoughtful case for moving him would prioritise long-term roster building over continuity.
Explained simply
The Las Vegas Raiders are an American football team in the NFL, the top professional league in the United States. Maxx Crosby is one of their leading defensive players, while Fernando Mendoza is a rookie quarterback learning to lead the team’s attack.
A quarterback directs the offence and makes decisions on each play. Teams often give young quarterbacks time to learn from an experienced player before letting them start, while a strong defensive leader can help provide continuity as a team develops.
Klint Kubiak is in his first year as the Raiders’ head coach. The choices around the quarterback and Crosby matter because they shape how the team balances developing new leadership with keeping experienced players in place.