Maxx Crosby's Future & NFL Combine Notes

·1 hr 1 min·5 clips

Albert Greer predicts Max Crosby will be traded this week, reshaping the Raiders' future.

This episode of The MMQB NFL Podcast features hosts Conor Orr and Albert Breer analyzing major NFL offseason storylines emerging from the scouting combine. They focus on the potential trade markets for two star players and share insider perspectives on how the combine has changed for reporters. Breer details how the combine's social and networking dynamics have shifted due to pervasive media coverage and social media, ruining previously private gathering spots like Prime 47. The hosts discuss the Philadelphia Eagles' openness to trading wide receiver A.J. Brown, with Breer noting the team might seek a return similar to the Davante Adams trade—a first and second-round pick. He explains Brown's tradable contract has $29 million due this year and $21 million next year, and that the Eagles' entire salary cap situation is complicated. Breer speculates the New England Patriots, given head coach Jerod Mayo's connection to Brown, could be a logical suitor, but acquiring Brown would mean paying him $29 million versus keeping Stefon Diggs at $20 million. The conversation shifts to Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby, whose future is uncertain following a knee injury and the team's decision to shut him down late last season. Breer analyzes the "timeline" mismatch between Crosby, who turns 29 this season, and a Raiders team rebuilding with a new quarterback. He believes the Raiders will likely trade Crosby this week for a package including a first-round pick, as Crosby may now be considering his "football mortality." Orr and Breer debate which teams could be fits for Crosby, listing the Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, and Los Angeles Rams as potential destinations. Breer personally favors the Bears or Patriots as logical fits, while Orr jokes he'd do the show shirtless if Crosby went to Dallas. An interesting insight is that some defensive coaching philosophies are moving away from relying on a single star pass-rusher, favoring unpredictable schemes with multiple contributors. Breer counters that such systems are harder to sustain than simply paying one great player. The hosts conclude by noting the 2025 NFL Draft class is considered weak, with Chiefs GM Brett Veach stating only 75 of their top 100 prospects from November are actually in this draft. The tone is conversational and insider-focused, blending personal anecdotes with serious football analysis. This episode is perfect for hardcore NFL fans who enjoy front-office strategy, trade speculation, and behind-the-scenes media stories. Listeners seeking pure Xs-and-Os analysis or fantasy football advice might find it less relevant.

As heard by us

Combine chatter that turns into a sharper argument about how teams value pressure.

The episode uses the combine as a way into a cleaner argument about what a premier edge rusher is worth, and whether one star should command that much of a team’s thinking.

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Why you'd press play

You want a scouting-combine conversation that starts in Indianapolis and turns into a real debate about how pressure gets built.

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