Maxx Crosby landing spots: Lions, Cowboys among best fits for Raiders DE if traded

The Las Vegas Raiders are 2-7 and firmly in last place in the AFC West after their Week 8 loss to the division rival Kansas City Chiefs, 27-20 and 41-24 Week 9 loss to the Bengals. After already trading away their biggest star on offense, receiver Davante Adams, they may have to consider doing the same with their biggest defensive star as they kick-start a rebuild.

Edge rusher Maxx Crosby has consistently been one of the best players at his position since he entered the league in 2019. He's had three seasons with double-digit sacks, entered 2024 off of three straight Pro Bowl seasons, and led the league in tackles for a loss in the last two years.

So far this season, Crosby has 6.5 sacks. He's also roughly on pace to match his tackles-for-loss totals from the last two years.

Thanks to Crosby's strong NFL career résumé and his impressive season so far, Las Vegas could reap a solid return in draft picks should it trade the edge rusher. Despite this, Raiders owner Mark Davis reportedly emailed ESPN to say, "We're Not Trading Maxx Crosby Before Or After The Trade Deadline!!!"

Crosby's contract this year would come with a more than $30 million cap hit, with a possible out after this season that would only leave $10.2 million in dead cap. Potential suitors for the star defender would likely need to restructure his deal to bring him onto the roster while remaining under the cap.

NFL TRADE DEADLINE: The best fits for the top trade candidates in 2024

Maxx Crosby: Trade fits for Raiders edge rusher

Detroit Lions

Crosby to the Lions is the trade fit analysts and fans have discussed for weeks. Detroit is a bona fide Super Bowl contender for a second straight year with its 7-1 record and NFL-leading scoring offense to start the season.

However, the Lions' defensive line took a massive blow in Week 6 when edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson suffered a season-ending injury against the Dallas Cowboys. Hutchinson led the NFL with 7.5 sacks in the five games before the injury.

Before Week 9, Detroit was 13th in the NFL with its 44% pass-rush win rate. The NFC North features two teams in the top 10 in pass-block win rate - the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings. All three AFC North teams have quarterbacks who have played well this year. Crosby could give the Lions an excellent weapon on the edge for the remainder of the season and an edge-rushing partner for Hutchinson in future years.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles are in second place in the NFC East and, at 6-2, would make the playoffs as a wild-card team if the season ended after Week 9. Philadelphia has gotten solid play from its secondary this season, with rookies Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell stepping up in their first year.

However, the 2022 NFC champions have been missing an impactful play-maker on the edge since trading Haason Reddick to the Jets this offseason. No defender has more than three sacks, and no edge rusher has more than four tackles for a loss.

Crosby could make a big difference as an additional piece on the Eagles' defensive front. As a consistent disruptor in the backfield, his presence could also create more opportunities for big plays for the Philadelphia secondary.

NFL TRADE DEADLINE: When is the NFL trade deadline in 2024?

Green Bay Packers

Green Bay is third in the NFC North after Week 9, two games behind the Lions for the division's top spot. Its offense is one of the best in the NFL, regardless of who's playing quarterback, with top-10 status in passing yards, rushing yards, total yards, and points per game. Its defense features the NFL's leader in interceptions, safety Xavier McKinney, and leads the league in takeaways with 19.

The Packers are in a great spot with a young core, but they could be even better with a more threatening pass-rush attack. Green Bay is 31st in the league with a 31% pass-rush win rate and has no player with more than three sacks nor an edge defender with more than seven tackles for a loss. Crosby would be a massive upgrade for the Packers at his position and give Green Bay a better chance to make a deep playoff run.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys are back under .500 after losing on "Sunday Night Football" to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 8 and to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9. They're in third place in the NFC East and risk missing the playoffs if they can't right the ship soon. According to reports, Dak Prescott is expected to miss multiple games with a hamstring injury.

Dallas' offense has issues, but its defense has been an even bigger problem this season. The Cowboys have allowed 104 points combined in their last three games, rank 31st in points per game allowed, are the fourth-worst team in EPA (expected points added)/play allowed, and hold a 35% pass-rush win rate, good for 26th in the NFL. On top of that, they've been missing Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence with lower-body injuries since Week 4.

Dallas badly needs reinforcements on its defensive line, and Crosby is the best one that could be available. He'd fill a gap that the Cowboys have been missing since Parsons, their sack leader for the last three seasons, went down with his injury. When Parsons returns, he and Crosby would make up one of the most threatening pass-rush attacks in the league, giving the team an even bigger boost.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Maxx Crosby landing spots: Best fits for DE at NFL trade deadline