The Los Angeles Rams explored trades for both Maxx Crosby and A.J. Brown in the spring, according to Tom Pelissero. Those deals may have improved the team at the time, but by having the ammunition to trade for Myles Garrett in the summer, the Rams were able to get two-for-the-price-of-one when the move compelled Aaron Donald to come out of retirement. Would he have done the same for Crosby?
Not even the Las Vegas Raiders are confident yet that Crosby’s knee will hold up for a 17-game season.
The Raiders traded Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens for two first-round picks, including 14th overall in 2026, but nixed the deal after a physical. By most accounts, Crosby has survived training camp without any health scares and is ready for Week 1, but the team was cautious with him in the preseason as he was the only starter held out of the games entirely.
Ironically, Myles Garrett’s knee has been a much bigger story in training camp than Crosby’s. But that’s only as of now and not necessarily the case later. The Rams have to feel great about where their defense is at with Garrett and Donald in the fold, as well as Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson.
Although Watson has just popped up on the injury report too.
Offensively, we knew the A.J. Brown story for a long time. The Rams reportedly would have still traded for McDuffie and eventually Garrett, but where would the money come from? L.A. is already tight up against the 2026 salary cap and Brown currently has a $7 million cap hit with the New England Patriots. And it cost New England a 2028 first-round pick to make that deal.
Reports had the Rams giving up Davante Adams, which would help offset the money. But no team is trading Brown for Adams straight-up. A first-round pick likely still had to be involved.
What would the Rams look like with Crosby, Brown?
Matthew Stafford would have Puka Nacua and A.J. Brown as his top targets. The defense would have Crosby starting a defensive line without Aaron Donald (probably) or Myles Garrett.
Instead, the Rams have their 2028 first-round pick, which they could still use to entice a team to trade them a wide receiver before the deadline if that’s something that L.A. really wants.
Maxx Crosby would have been an interesting acquisition and fans wouldn’t have even been aware of what it would end up costing them in the future. It would just be “The Rams got Maxx Crosby!” and nothing more. No talk of Garrett or Donald. Instead they can look back.
Both on who they did get…and who they did not get.
