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Adam Schefter, ESPN Senior Writer
For the teams still pondering ways to acquire Maxx Crosby, and for the fan bases imagining what the Pro Bowl defensive end would look like in their team’s uniform, those conversations can officially be shut down.
Raiders owner Mark Davis quashed the hopes and dreams of front offices and fans across the league this weekend when he roundly dismissed the notion that Las Vegas would trade its best player.
“We’re Not Trading Maxx Crosby,” Davis said in an email to ESPN. “Before Or After The Trade Deadline!!!”
Despite the Raiders’ unwillingness to trade their most popular player, teams have continued to explore ways as recently as this week to see if Crosby could be obtained, league sources told ESPN.
Teams have debated internally if there is a way to acquire Crosby, and some have reached out to the Raiders to make inquiries.
The Raiders, however, have essentially shut down the idea. One league source familiar with other teams’ efforts told ESPN that “it would be beyond shocking” if Crosby were dealt before the NFL’s Nov. 5 deadline.
New Raiders minority stakeholder Richard Seymour said on this week’s “The Adam Schefter Podcast” that he could not envision the Raiders trading away the “heartbeat of the team.”
“If I’m the Lions, I want to come get Maxx Crosby, too,” Seymour said on the podcast. “Why wouldn’t they? He’s the heartbeat of our team. But that would be Mark Davis’ decision, and I don’t see him making that decision to trade away Maxx Crosby.”
Crosby is beloved within the organization, especially by Davis.
Crosby said this week on his podcast that he wants to stay with the Raiders and addressed the trade speculation involving the Lions, who are without injured star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson.
“I’m sitting here innocently and just doing what I do, and I feel like I got to like address it with my teammates,” he said on “The Rush With Maxx Crosby” podcast.
“I’m like, ‘I’m not trying to leave.’ … I don’t have 100 percent control and all that, but I want to be here, I want to be silver and black. I’ll say it loud and f—ing clear, I want to be a Raider. I’ve said that over and over and over again.”
The Raiders already made one high-profile trade last week, sending star wide receiver Davante Adams to the New York Jets for a conditional third-round draft pick.
Teams such as the Lions still in search of potentially adding pass-rush help before the trade deadline now will have to look elsewhere. One of the most logical trade targets is Cleveland’s former Pro Bowl defensive end Za’Darius Smith, who has drawn some attention across the league.
Smith has the resume, talent and a friendly enough salary this season to make him attractive to other teams, and league sources said they would not be surprised to see the Browns deal him before the deadline.
Crosby, 27, has 6.5 sacks this season, tied for the sixth most in the NFL. The three-time Pro Bowler has played his entire career with the Raiders, recording 58.5 sacks in 89 games over five-plus seasons.