Following a disappointing season that saw the Lions finish with a 9-8 overall record and miss the NFL playoffs after two straight NFC North division titles, many fans want Detroit to go all in on improving its roster through free agency.
Several players could help the Lions improve defensively heading into the 2026 NFL season. One of those targets is Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby, who has been rumored to be leaving Las Vegas after a bad 2025 season for the franchise. Despite the promise of Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 overall in this year's draft, it doesn't seem like Crosby's interested in sticking around.
Crosby, a native of Lapeer, Michigan, and Eastern Michigan alum, has been a dream addition for Lions fans the last two seasons. Acquiring him this offseason would be a massive addition for the Lions' pass rush, as it would put a dominant player next to defensive end Aidan Hutchinson.
What it would take for the Lions to acquire Crosby
Acquiring Crosby through a trade, however, may require the Lions to trade away a lot in return, given his value. On a recent episode of Yahoo Sports Daily, Jay Glazer said that Crosby’s tenure with the Raiders is most likely done and mentioned what kind of haul it would take to acquire the five-time Pro Bowler, likely more than what was acquired for the Packers to land Micah Parsons.
To acquire Parsons, the Packers traded away two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark. For the Lions, it will take more to land Crosby. While general manager Brad Holmes may sit back again and say “we’re good,” and opt not acquire Crosby, that won’t be good enough for Lions fans.
READ MORE: David Montgomery just got brutally honest about his shrinking role with Lions
The Lions have the roster to compete for a Super Bowl, and it’s time to go all in to deliver on the promise of a parade down Woodward Avenue. Trading away multiple draft picks for Crosby is worth it as it’s a high-risk, high-reward move for the Lions.
Some of the great teams of the past that have advanced to the Super Bowl and won the title were because of their elite talent up front on defense. With the addition of Crosby, the Lions will have that, as it will take the pressure off of Hutchinson on defense and give the team another option to rely on to create pressure on the opposing team’s quarterback.