Falcons trade prediction would send Raiders $94 million superstar to Atlanta

The Atlanta Falcons fell just short of the NFL playoffs in 2024, which was partly because of the struggles of veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, who was finally replaced with rookie Michael Penix Jr. near the end of the season.

Another big reason for the Falcons missing out on the postseason was the defense, which ranked middle of the pack or worse against the run and pass. When it comes to defending the pass, the Falcons had a tough time getting after the quarterback, with Atlanta ranking second-to-last in sacks with 31.

If the Falcons wan to take the next step in 2025, they've got to upgrade the defense, and more specifically the pass-rush, which could lose veteran Matt Judon, who is slated to hit free agency after a 5.5-sack season.

One avenue the Falcons could explore for an upgrade is Las Vegas Raiders star edge rusher Maxx Crosby, who is still under contract but has left his status with the franchise up in the air following yet another disappointing season for the team.

If Crosby is made available, Eric Smithling of Yardbarker predicts that the Falcons will land him in a trade.

"Atlanta must improve its awful pass rush, but it can’t wait for a rookie to finish the job. Instead, the Falcons would be wise to trade for Crosby, who has 59.5 sacks in his first six seasons," Smithling wrote.

Crosby needs no introduction. He's been one of the elite pass-rushers in the NFL for years now and has garnered four straight Pro Bowl nods after tallying 42.5 sacks in total in that span.

Crosby is coming off a down year in 2024 after totaling 7.5 sacks during the season, but he was also battling an ankle injury for much of the campaign.

While Crosby has stated over and over again that his desire is to remain in Las Vegas, he did leave the door open for his future to be elsewhere.

"Obviously, there are a lot of decisions to be made," Crosby said on his podcast recently. "On a personal level, I gotta make the decision that's best for me. I'm gonna see. We don't know what the coach or front office is going to look like. There's gonna be a lot of changes."

Before the Falcons can even think about trading for Crosby, they've got to get their salary cap situation figured out. Atlanta is currently projected to be $7.9 million over the cap in 2025.

But once that gets straightened out, the Falcons should be all over Crosby if he's on the trade block in the coming months. Not only would he significantly improve their pass-rush, Crosby is also a great leader in the locker room and will add a confidence and identity to the defense that Atlanta is lacking.