NFL Free Agency Opens As Raiders Try to Untangle Crosby Trade Mess

The Raiders still have the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft and more than $50 million in available salary-cap space for the 2026 season. The team, however, is still regrouping after the nixed trade of edge rusher Maxx Crosby to the Ravens. 

Las Vegas made a series of aggressive moves earlier in the week, reaching an initial framework on numerous free-agent deals—all under the premise of Crosby and his $30 million base salary for 2026 being off its ledger. 

That run of new agreements includes an $81 million pact for center Tyler Linderbaum that elevated the annual NFL salary scale at that position by 50%, and about $202 million worth of additional contracts for cornerback Eric Stokes, receiver Jalen Nailor, edge rushers Kwity Paye and Malcolm Koonce, linebackers Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean, and kicker Matt Gay.

The Raiders, according to multiple reports, intend to honor all of the new agreements and are also moving forward, at least for now, with Crosby back on the roster. There are still open questions, though, as to both Crosby’s health after he failed a Ravens physical and his role in Las Vegas after he previously posted an extended departure video on social media. 

Crosby has since deleted that video and has already been back in the Raiders’ training facility to continue his rehabilitation from a torn meniscus in his left knee.

Baltimore, for its part, quickly pivoted and signed a four-year, $112 million deal with free agent Trey Hendrickson. Ravens GM Eric DeCosta, however, said late Wednesday the team’s original plan was to add both Crosby and Hendrickson, not one or the other.

“I’ve got a responsiblity to do what’s best for the club and that’s what we always try to do,” DeCosta said about the failed Crosby trade. “Nobody is more upset about this than me. Gutted by it, actually. Big regret for me, but we will move on as a football team.”

Plenty of Action

As the new league year officially started at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, plenty of deals that had been in development throughout the week started to become official. Key names changing teams include Malik Willis and Tua Tagovailoa, running back Kenneth Walker III, and wide receiver Mike Evans.

There were plenty of new deals Wednesday, though, to add to the run of lucrative transactions. Among them:

• The Colts reached a two-year, $88 million agreement with quarterback Daniel Jones, with $50 million of that guaranteed. Indianapolis previously placed the rarely used transition tag on Jones, giving the team matching rights against any other deal. The new agreement further solidifies Jones as the team’s starter as he recovers from a torn Achilles tendon.
• The Bills agreed to a three-year, $43.5 million pact with defensive end Bradley Chubb, with $29 million guaranteed, soon after his release from the rival Dolphins.
• Buffalo also restructured the contract of star quarterback and former NFL Most Valuable Player Josh Allen, creating $12 million of 2026 salary-cap space while elevating the dead-cap charge later. The Bills and Allen agreed to a six-year, $330 million extension last year, and he is under contract through the 2030 season. 
• The Ravens pursued a similar restructuring with quarterback Lamar Jackson and created nearly $40 million of salary-cap space. Baltimore is working on a contract extension with Jackson, as in the absence of one, he can become an unrestricted free agent after the 2027 season.
• As expected, the Cardinals released quarterback Kyler Murray, and the Falcons did the same with quarterback Kirk Cousins.

The run of lucrative signings is happening as the NFL set the 2026 salary cap at $301.2 million per team, a record amount and $22 million more than the 2025 level.