Ravens Back Out Of Maxx Crosby Trade, Sending Raiders And Other Parts Of NFL Into A Tizzy

Three days ago, the Las Vegas Raiders traded Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens for two first-round draft picks. The premiere edge rusher headed to Baltimore and posted on his social account how lovely the place was, and everything about the blockbuster was huge news.

Here's the bigger news: Never mind.

Ravens Back Out Of Trade

The trade is off.

The Ravens told the Raiders as much on Tuesday afternoon. And The Raiders are telling the world on their social media account.

The Raiders announced that the Ravens "have backed out of our trade agreement for Maxx Crosby." That means the Ravens are taking back their two first-round picks. 

This is where a savvy reporter such as yours truly asks, was the Raiders account hacked?

And the answer from NFL sources is… nope.

The trade is off, at least for now.

Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta. (Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)

Crosby Failed Physical With Ravens

Sources tell OutKick that the Ravens — led by general manager Eric DeCosta — felt uncomfortable with the physical done on Crosby, and so the official reason for the rescinded trade is that Crosby failed their physical for medical reasons.

Crosby left Baltimore Tuesday evening.

"Maxx continues to be on track in his recovery and if anything is ahead of schedule according to his surgeon Dr. Neal El Attrache," said CJ LaBoy, Crosby's agent on social media. "Maxx remains on track to return during the offseason program and will undoubtedly return as the dominant game wrecker he has been these past seven seasons."

This is where you must remember that no trade is official until it is official. And this one never got there. Either team could have backed out before the trade was officially sent to the league office by both.

And the Ravens chose that escape hatch based on their findings of Crosby's surgically repaired knee from the end of last season.

This has consequences that ripple across the NFL:

It affects the Ravens salary cap plans.

It affects the Raiders salary cap plans.

Both teams must be salary cap compliant by 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

Crosby Didn't Want To Be A Raider

It affects the Raiders in that they will now never get two first-round picks for Crosby because he'll be seen as a diminished commodity, one NFL team personnel department source told OutKick.

It affects Crosby because he didn't want to play for the Raiders anymore. And still does not, last we heard. He was thrilled to be a Raven.

And now he's not a Raven. He's a Raider again.

So, do the Raiders try to trade him to a team that will be comfortable taking him — obviously for much less than two first-round picks? That could happen when Crosby is further along in his recovery – perhaps prior to the draft in April.

And do the Ravens pivot to a different edge rusher?

Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images)

Do The Ravens Turn To Other Options?

Can you say Trey Hendrickson, perhaps?

Hendrickson was intent on making his decision on a suitor on Wednesday, according to The Athletic. Does this new opportunity delay that?

Would the Cowboys, who traded a fourth-round pick for Rashan Gary but were interested in Crosby, rescind their trade and try to trade for Crosby anew? That's unlikely, but it's Jerry Jones, folks. He feeds on chaos.

Yes, many ripple effects of seismic proportions.

This is crazy…

…Or just another night in the NFL on the eve of the new league year.