Baltimore had Maxx Crosby in the building on Tuesday. The city was ready for a parade. Then, the wheels fell off. Reports surfaced that Crosby failed his physical due to lingering knee concerns, but the timeline tells a messier story. While Crosby was undergoing tests, DeCosta was already deep in negotiations with former Bengals star Trey Hendrickson.
DeCosta claims the vision was to pair the two elite edge rushers into a “monster duo.” Fans aren’t buying it. The timing suggests the Ravens hit the red button once Tyler Linderbaum bolted for Las Vegas. The Raiders didn’t just sign Linderbaum; they “obliterated” the center market with a three-year, $81 million deal. Losing the heart of the offensive line forced a desperate reset. DeCosta scrambled, pivoted to Hendrickson on a four-year, $112 million contract, and suddenly the Crosby trade was “canceled.” It’s a cock-and-bull story that masks a front office caught with its pants down.
Walking through the league meetings this morning, the skepticism is thick enough to cut with a knife. One AFC scout laughed off the idea of pairing both rushers: “You can’t pay two edge guys $30 million each and lose an All-Pro center in the same breath. They got outbid for their own guy and tried to win the press conference.”
“I am going to be 200 percent by training camp, and the world is going to get the best version of 98. Baltimore woke up a sleeping giant.”
— Maxx Crosby, Raiders Defensive End
The Ravens’ “closer” mentality with Hendrickson is a high-stakes gamble. After a 2025 season where Baltimore’s sack total plummeted to just 30, the pressure is on the 31-year-old Hendrickson to justify that $60 million guaranteed. He’s coming off a core muscle injury that limited him to seven games last year. If he doesn’t return to his 17.5-sack form, the Ravens won’t just be missing Linderbaum; they’ll be missing the playoffs entirely.
Meanwhile, the Raiders emerge as the tactical winners of the week. They kept their superstar pass rusher and stole the best center in football. For the Patriots and the rest of the AFC, the lesson is clear: Baltimore is vulnerable. Their roster is in flux, and their cap space is tied up in a defense that looks more like a collection of expensive names than a cohesive unit. The draft in Pittsburgh is now the only place left for DeCosta to fix the holes he ignored while chasing shadows.
