If Brandon Beane is going to make a deal for one of the top pass rushers in the NFL, it's going to have to be someone other than the Raiders' Maxx Crosby.
There were rumblings about Crosby as a trade candidate, and it made sense. The Raiders need a ton of help, and it would be fair to expect that the Raiders might listen to an offer for him.
Apparently, Crosby was never going to hit the market. The top end pass rusher has signed a new extension with the Raiders for three years, $106.5 million. He cashed in.
Crosby's mark of $35.5 million per season makes him the highest-paid pass rusher on a per-year basis. It sounds like he's committed to the franchise that drafted him in the fourth round in 2019, wanting to spend his entire career in the silver and black.
If the Browns aren't willing to part ways with Myles Garrett, then Beane will have to turn to free agency and the draft to bolster a defensive front that desperately needs more ability.
Beane has made it clear that he's not afraid to trade first round draft picks for talented players. He did it to acquire Stefon Diggs from the Minnesota Vikings, for example.
Could this be the year that Beane makes a move up in the draft to go get a player that he believes will be a difference maker? It's possible. No matter how he gets it done, this is a crucial offseason for Beane to find players that have the ability to make splash plays when it matters most. No matter what the outcome is, Bills fans can scratch Crosby off their wish list.
