Bengals, Maxx Crosby trade rumor from Tony Pauline is stunner

Let the rumor mill tell it, the Cincinnati Bengals might have actually been in on a possible trade for Las Vegas Raiders star pass-rusher Maxx Crosby.

The Bengals, like other teams, didn’t match the huge price the Baltimore Ravens initially paid to get Crosby.

Long after the Crosby-Ravens trade fell through and former Bengals star Trey Hendrickson signed with the Ravens instead, Cincinnati sent the 10th overall pick to the Giants in exchange for Dexter Lawrence.

According to Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports, though, the Bengals were after Crosby: “But the Bengals were unwilling to match the pair of first-round picks the Baltimore Ravens initially sent to Vegas for Crosby before a failed physical nixed the deal.”

This is just one place reporting the Bengals’ interest in Crosby, but it’s still notable. He’s one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL as he heads into his age-28 season and he’s currently under contract through 2029.

Even if this is just speculation or never gets more reporting from other places, it’s not hard to see why the Bengals might’ve been content in giving up their first-rounder this year for Crosby.

After all, the Bengals clearly understand the draft board at No. 10 was extremely unlikely to fall in a way that worked out for them. They surely knew that at least a month or more ago, by most accounts, given the year-round work that goes into draft classes. That would’ve lined up with the Crosby trade drama of the time.