Maxx Crosby trade to Lions? Injury concerns may pose too much risk
Analysis of Crosby injury and surgical history as well as salary cap ramifications
The anemic Lions pass rush has been a source of consternation for fans since the Matt Patricia era. Aidan Hutchinson has helped, but he can’t do it alone. This is why a possible Detroit Lions trade for Maxx Crosby has kept fans intrigued for years.
Fuel was added the the fire in the past week with reports that Crosby wants a trade… with the Lions as a preferred target.
While Crosby may greatly help the Lions pass rush in the short term, there are many reasons why trading for him carries a lot of risk.
Maxx Crosby injury history and analysis
Concern level 7/10
29 years old entering 2026 season. Age is becoming a concern.
Heavy mileage. His extremely high snap counts (>90%) over the past few seasons are only rivaled by Aidan Hutchinson. Last season, Crosby finished 2nd only to Hutchinson in EDGE rusher snap counts (1005 vs 935).
2025 season: Played 15/17 games. Missed last 2 games due to left knee meniscus surgery. Damage to meniscus can have residual effects. Crosby stated “It’s my eighth surgery in seven years.”
It’s even possible the surgery was more than just a meniscus trim. If it was a meniscus repair, that would entail a longer recovery but he should be ready for the season. If he had damage to his articular cartilage, that would be a more significant, chronic concern. Lions medical would certainly need to look at the operating room report before even considering a trade.
Update: Ian Rapoport reports Crosby indeed had a meniscus repair, not a trim.
2024 season: Played 12/17 games. Left high ankle sprain in Week 2. Subsequent ankle surgery ended his season.
2023 season: 17/17 games. Played through a suspected infected knee bursa. Left knee bursa surgery after the season.
Salary cap considerations
Crosby’s salary will be $30 million in 2026 and $29 million in 2027. The team has an out after that. While this salary is an excellent value for a premium EDGE, the Lions are already tight under the cap which would hurt their ability to extend their own players or sign free agents.
Will Crosby be happy playing under his current contract? When a player is traded for, he often has leverage to get a contract adjustment. The Lions might need to tack on a small extension with some extra money to ensure there will be no hold out.
Whatever picks the Lions lose in a trade will hurt the team’s ability to stock young, inexpensive talent.
Bottom line
The health risk is high with Crosby. He has a a ton of mileage and has had a lot of damage to his body, as evidenced by his high number of surgeries.
Add in an age approaching 30 and you wonder how much longer his body can hold up. If the Detroit Lions decide to trade for Maxx Crosby, there is no guarantee they are getting the elite player of the past few years.
Salary cap considerations and roster management are other major hurdles.
When healthy, Crosby is without question a gamechanger that could launch the Lions into Super Bowl favorites. Is the risk worth the potential reward?
If the Lions decide to instead address the EDGE position in the draft, here are some quality options…
