Is Maxx Crosby Really A Slam Dunk For The Ransom?
March 5th, 2026
Price too steep?
See Joe in a bar after a few beers and ask if Joe would like Maxx Crosby on the Bucs roster for 2026. Joe probably wouldn’t shut up all night, so stoked with the thought.
But here is the thing: Is Crosby, if he was acquired by the Bucs, a slam dunk monster for the cost he and Raiders owner Mark Davis will demand?
Pat Donovan has reservations. Half of the “Pat and Aaron Show” heard weekday mornings on WDAE-AM 620/WDAE-FM 95.7, Donovan is tapping the brakes on the Crosby-to-Bucs chatter.
“It’s not the right move,” Donovan said. “To me, Maxx Crosby comes with some hesitation, because of the health situation.
“And his age. I know he’s not old, but late 20s. And he’s coming off of a pretty serious injury.”
Crosby will be 29 in August.
So instead of sending two first-round picks and a player to Las Vegas for Crosby, Donovan thinks for a lesser price, the Bucs could trade up and land a young beast of an edge rusher in next month’s draft.
On face value, Joe is not against that. But then you look at Todd Bowles’ history of developing edge rushers — he has none — and all of a sudden swinging a deal for Crosby is much, much more palatable.
Joe would sign free agent monster Trey Hendrickson in a perfect world. He actually wants to play for the Bucs (if you believe Adam Schefter) and lives in Florida. The Bucs are in dire need of an edge rush. This is just a no-brainer of no-brainers. Hello?
(The “Pat and Aaron Show” can be heard on WDAE-AM 620/WDAE-FM 95.7 weekdays from 6-9 a.m.)
@953wdae Maxx Crosby is proven. David Bailey is not. Is the risk worth it? #iHeartRadio ♬ original sound – 957wdae
March 5th, 2026 at 9:05 am
Trade up for a unproven player????
March 5th, 2026 at 9:07 am
This is the prove it year for TB & JL. They need proven NFL talent to save their jobs. Draft picks are crap shoots at best. Some succeed some don’t. The Bucs roster has several bad picks starting or being groomed to start. I’m not sure about Crosby’s price tag, but they must get proven takent.
March 5th, 2026 at 9:11 am
NO. It’s just really that simple for this Bucs team. “NO.” There is not ONE thing that makes any amount of sense about it. It’s nothing more than just a lazy, knee-jerk reaction from some delusional Bucs Fans, who are incapable of seeing any further than the tip of their noses, and who are not living in reality.
March 5th, 2026 at 9:12 am
Not when you can get Hendrickson for cheaper. And Joe why no article on Sean Tucker? Im so mad, our best running back just got kicked to the curb
[If/when Sean Tucker leaves — there is no evidence Bucs *don’t* want him. Joe]
March 5th, 2026 at 9:21 am
“This is the prove it year for TB & JL.”
IDGAF about Lickt, or Bowles. I’m definitely NOT putting myself (and my franchise) in a much WORSE position, for the future, or for landing a TOP-TIER level HC and GM. They will have to make due with what they’ve already done to build this team. Period. End of Story.
March 5th, 2026 at 9:22 am
Crosby is a WDAE wet dream! We aren’t giving up two number one pics for him. If Hendrickson wants to be a Buc I think he would be a better fit but what would we have to do to get him?
March 5th, 2026 at 9:23 am
Get them both and shake the foundations.
Can you imagine?
March 5th, 2026 at 9:23 am
Yes Joe agree, it appears Henrickinson appears to be a better option than Crosby. However today we are hearing reports the Raiders are lowering the asking price as free agency nears. If so he might be a longer term answer. The only down side to Henrickinson is his age. 31 for A D End not usually a good thing. However, either of them at this point looks to be a tremendous boost from where we currently are.
March 5th, 2026 at 9:29 am
Next year 1st could be a top 5 pick in a good QB class trading that would be disastrous
March 5th, 2026 at 9:35 am
Hendrickson,is the no brainer anyone from the afc north would be good hes been with burrow played against jackson had big battles with Pittsburgh just his knowledge is worth it..
March 5th, 2026 at 9:38 am
Tomlin, harbaugh ,Hendrickson has been around the best
March 5th, 2026 at 9:44 am
No Max Crosby is not a slam Dunk. But he’s the closest thing to it. The only slam dunk is Myles Garrett, and that DE who recently retired from the Rams. Crosby, though, is a complete baller and would add instant juice to our Defense.
March 5th, 2026 at 9:53 am
One 2nd…..this year’s, and maybe a player not panning out…thats it Tom!
Just get TH at the right price if the medicals check out. NO 1ST’S
March 5th, 2026 at 9:56 am
No, this would be like doing what we did in 2013 for Revis.
Giving up draft capital and $$$ to trade for a player who’s still in his rehab window from a pretty significant surgery.
Alot of this Crosby talk is because he’s a known commodity and recognizable name, but if we have $ to pay him, why not target younger options like Oweh/Phillips/Mafe or try to lure K’Lavon Chaisson away from the Patriots.
Other, lesser mentioned targets like Kwity Paye or Joesph Ossai could easily be targets for our front office. We’ll see though.
March 5th, 2026 at 10:01 am
Crosby will cost too much in draft picks and money. Pass.
There are FA that can be had without giving up draft picks. Hendrickson, Oweh, Mafe..all would be big upgrades and not cost draft picks.
Also, im completely fine with trading up if they could land Bailey or Bain. We shouldn’t hesitate to draft players because of Bowles. He won’t be around to see these guys careers as Bucs.
March 5th, 2026 at 10:08 am
The bucs are not a Maxx Crosby away from a Superbowl that would be a stupid move they are two seasons away from fixing the defense.
March 5th, 2026 at 11:00 am
Sean Tucker was certainly competent at running the ball.
I am guessing that his poor pass blocking and his even worse special teams play landed him in a no contract situation.
Well, how well did Rojo do after we released him.
March 5th, 2026 at 11:38 am
Said it earlier why trade 2 #1, if that’s what they want, when you can package this years 1 and another 1 that the Raiders want and trade up for a pair of fresh young stand out legs this year?
March 5th, 2026 at 11:45 am
I would be happy to get Hendrickson as a free agent a 21 million a year. Crosby is too expensive and you have to give up draft picks. I would make sure I sign Evans and then I like Rodriguez as a linebacker other high pics can be spent on edge rushers or linebackers or defensive backs. If they can sign, Algiers as running back that would be great too.
March 5th, 2026 at 11:55 am
We need a ginger on the roster for diversity.
March 5th, 2026 at 11:57 am
Not worth the draft capital
Not worth the money
March 5th, 2026 at 11:59 am
Just read an article of best 150 FAs. I would forget about High$$ guys and pick two edge and 1 or 2 other positions in lower tier FAs. Why throw high draft slots for players that could bolt when they see how bad our coaches are. Max or Trey will not, alone, fix this team.
March 5th, 2026 at 12:47 pm
Geno711 Says:
March 5th, 2026 at 11:00 am
Sean Tucker was certainly competent at running the ball.
I am guessing that his poor pass blocking and his even worse special teams play landed him in a no contract situation.
Well, how well did Rojo do after we released him.
——————–
We could’ve said the same thing about LaGarrette Blount. Two games in his carry where Tucker was given the ball more than a handful of times… not coincidentally those were his two 100 yard games. The dude is a major league talent and easily the most talented runner we’ve had here since Jones.
March 5th, 2026 at 12:50 pm
Hendrickson is the guy. Sign him and Mike, draft a DT and 2 ILBs rounds 1-3. Sign a cheaper veteran LB and CB.
Rounds 4-5-6 draft BPA between DE, OG, TE, RB and CB.
I hope the plan is something along those lines.
March 5th, 2026 at 12:59 pm
Imagine both Crosby and Hendrickson together, playing 3 deep zone for the Bucs, with Parrish and McCollum handling edge and the safeties covering the short flats!
March 5th, 2026 at 1:07 pm
We need Ioane! O line trenches!!!! Help buy Baker, top 3 since 2023 in passing so we can do something. Im not expecting a lot this year but the years afterwards.
March 5th, 2026 at 1:59 pm
JOE it’s ain’t just Bowles but who has developed an edge rusher here in Tampa ? Not one. Lee Roy was a beast no nfl coach developed him. It be like saying the browns developed Myles Garrett we all o that ain’t happened. lol. Jason is a great GM his biggest knock is he can’t draft edge rushers and it’s not all on him the staff can’t develop so I hope we don’t draft an edge guy. Also rarely do the make an impact their rookie season. Bucs should go all in. Trade for Crosby and sign Trey. That defense front would be nasty. I still think kancey should be moved outside and we draft or sign another beast in the middle to help vea. Moving kancey outside would most likely help keep him healthy.
March 5th, 2026 at 2:04 pm
Saskbucs nailed it!
I would only add to trade down if at all possible and draft a DT.
Get an extra 2nd and go ILber and RB.
Then go BPA round 3-7.
March 5th, 2026 at 2:29 pm
This year’s first round pick from a historically weak round one talent pool and next year’s first round pick (somewheres in the 20s?) isn’t too much for the premier run defender in the NFL.
Teams run at Crosby only 8.7% of the time yet he still averages about 2 TFLs per game. He truly is the total package at LDE.
That being what it is if a more productive pass rusher wants to play in Tampa and all the Bucs have to do is sign a check I think the choice is obvious. Make that move and sign Hendrickson clean. He actually wants to be in Tampa? This is unprecedented. Keep those two lackluster first round picks to further fortify the defense and the Bucs can call themselves contenders.
Follow the Rams lead and remedy the biggest defensive need the team has with premiere talent before the draft. I’m not about to trust Licht to pluck a gem in the form of Paye, Ojulari, Mafe or the like. The Bucs defense need to take this opportunity to add a force of nature to their team. Even Marc Dominic couldn’t eff this off-season up. All the pieces are there for the choosing.
March 5th, 2026 at 3:44 pm
No more past their prime additions. We’ll address edge in the draft and get a couple of guys (kancey and walker) back from injury.
March 5th, 2026 at 5:12 pm
Joe, is it true the Bucs are moving in from Sean Tucker and Christian Izien? I can see Izien leaving but Tucker? What the heck is going on?
March 5th, 2026 at 5:43 pm
If the Bucs can land Hendrickson or somebody else who won’t kill our draft it would be better than Crosby. I don’t know exactly how the cap works but if we could trade some combo of players for him that might be better to shift some cap hit away too.
Something like Geodeke and Winfield in exchange for Crosby. Then we trade a mid or late round pick to the Dolphins for Minkah Fitzpatrick and use our first round pick to draft Proctor to replace Geodeke.
March 5th, 2026 at 6:29 pm
Maxx Crosby played with that “serious injury” and wanted to keep playing, but was pulled and he had surgery. I’m no doctor but I think both TJ Watt and Hendrickson both had more serious injuries and came back strong. If I’m gonna gamble on a draft pick panning out or on Crosby, my money is on Maxx being the safer bet to perform in ’26.
March 5th, 2026 at 7:55 pm
And Jason Lichts history of drafting edge rushers is soooo rock solid lol.
March 5th, 2026 at 8:01 pm
I’m so tired of hearing the “history of the Bucs” or the “history of Todd Bowles” narrative regarding the failure to draft and/or develop a stud at certain positions. The annals of NFL history is replete with teams that have similar histories until they finally got it right.
The NFL draft is an educated guess, slightly better than a crap shoot, even in the first round. Look at how many QBs the Bills went through after Jim Kelly until they found Josh Allen. The Lions took nearly a decade to find a stand out wide receiver (Calvin Johnson) after Herman Moore’s career wound down.
As far as the knock against the Bucs, or Bowles for not developing an edge rusher (or whatever position) goes, can you name me the plethora if edge rushers the Bucs have drafted that were “undeveloped” by Bowles or the Bucs but went on to have stellar, All-Pro years as pash rushers (or whatever) with other teams?
March 6th, 2026 at 6:23 am
No get Trey Henderson or Bradley Chubb – won’t cost you any draft picks and same production
March 6th, 2026 at 9:27 am
Crosby is only a 3 year rental. Great player worth his salary but he would have to be younger to justify spending the picks.
March 6th, 2026 at 12:26 pm
Go get crosby. We can’t draft pass rushers. You need an elite one to be successful in this league.