The Las Vegas Raiders introduced Klint Kubiak as their new head coach on Tuesday — and just 48 hours later he watched his former team, the Seattle Seahawks, lift the Lombardi Trophy. Kubiak enjoyed a strong season as Seattle’s offensive coordinator, but he now faces significant tasks in Las Vegas.
Beyond deciding how to use the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft and more than $90 million available in free agency, the Raiders must sort through pressing roster matters at home — chief among them the future of star edge rusher Maxx Crosby. There’s been plenty of speculation about whether Crosby wants to stay in Las Vegas or if the team might explore trading him.
At his introductory news conference, Kubiak said Crosby was the first player to come in and work out at the facility that day, and the two even chatted over coffee. Kubiak made it clear he sees Crosby as part of the club’s plans and praised him as one of the NFL’s top players, calling it a natural fit to build around him.
Reports on Crosby’s status have been mixed. Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer has suggested Crosby’s time with the Raiders may be winding down, while NFL Media has indicated Crosby has not requested a trade and remains in a “good spot” with the organization. Crosby initially spoke to Glazer after being frustrated over the team’s decision to shut him down late in the season because of a knee issue, and he said in December he would reassess his future with the club.
During Super Bowl week, Crosby wore Raiders apparel in interviews and has voiced loyalty to the franchise that selected him in the fourth round out of Eastern Michigan in 2019. Still, Crosby will now answer to his sixth head coach in seven NFL seasons, and the Raiders have posted only one winning year in that span — factors that could make a change tempting. It will fall to Kubiak to convince Crosby that he’s the coach who can turn the franchise around.
If Las Vegas does move Crosby, it would rank among the biggest trades of the offseason, comparable to last year’s blockbuster Micah Parsons deal. Since entering the league, Crosby has been among the top defenders statistically: fifth in tackles for loss (133) and QB hits (164), sixth in sacks (69.5), and he’s played more snaps (6,112) than any other defensive lineman in that timeframe.
Fan Take: This story matters because Maxx Crosby is a cornerstone defensive talent, and what the Raiders decide will ripple through the AFC landscape — a trade would reshape several teams’ pass-rush outlooks. Kubiak’s ability to keep elite players like Crosby will be an early measure of whether he can restore stability and competitiveness to the Raiders.
