Ravens GM Eric DeCosta refutes nixing Maxx Crosby trade for Trey Henderickson, saw potential to add both

In a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Baltimore Ravens GM Eric DeCosta revealed some insight on the tumultuous three-day stretch which led to the nixed Maxx Crosby trade and the Trey Hendrickson signing.

Although many have speculated that Baltimore dropped out of the Maxx Crosby trade in order to sign Trey Hendrickson without giving up two First Round Draft selections, this is not the case. Per DeCosta, Baltimore initiated talks with Hendrickson after losing Tyler Linderbaum to the Raiders in free agency. He initially intended to pair the two All-Pro defensive ends prior to backing out of the Crosby trade. This certainly would have given Baltimore a massive boost on the defensive side of the ball, along with returning All-Pros Marlon Humphrey and Roquan Smith.

DeCosta ended by claiming he was ‘gutted’ they couldn’t add Crosby to their defense. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported Crosby failed his physical on Tuesday. As a result, the trade was called off, and Baltimore was returned its first-round picks.

It’s now back to uncertainty for Maxx Crosby, who officially returns to the Las Vegas Raiders roster. Per Diana Russini, however, Crosby could very well remain with the Raiders for the 2026 season. Crosby, who has the Raiders logo tattooed on his body, boasts 439 tackles, 69.5 sacks, and 133 TFL across seven seasons with the franchise.

Ravens, Raiders have moved on in free agency following nixed Maxx Crosby deal

The Raiders have had a sneaky good offseason, headlined by the signings of three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum, Super Bowl champion linebacker Nakobe Dean, and veteran linebacker Quay Walker. With the return of Crosby and the eventual selection of Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Raiders fans will be heading into the season with some optimism.

As for Baltimore, it will go back to the drawing board after the addition of Hendrickson. Along with the loss of Crosby, the Ravens have lost the aforementioned Linderbaum, All-Pro fullback Patrick Ricard, and tight end Isaiah Likely.

The Ravens are coming off a disappointing 2025 season, in which they finished with an 8-9 record, lost their season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers (which decided the AFC North), and missed the Playoffs. The Raiders, meanwhile, finished with a losing record for the fourth consecutive season. Change could be on the horizon for both teams, though, with strong showings in free agency and the upcoming NFL Draft.