The Buffalo Bills may have had the second best passing defense in the NFL, behind only the Minnesota Vikings, but the pass rush did not perform to the level one would have hoped given the unit’s success.
The Bills ranked 26th in total sacks and 27th in ESPN’s advanced metric, pass rush win rate – how often a rusher beats his blocker within 2.5 seconds – and the team’s leading sack-artist Greg Rousseau, managed just 7 on the year.
With former five-time Pro Bowler Joey Bosa and 2020 second round pick AJ Epenesa set to hit the open market this offseason, Buffalo will be in dire need of shoring up the edge rushing group.
So CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan suggests that the Bills make a bold move and look to trade for Las Vegas Raiders defensive end, Maxx Crosby.
His proposed trade package would see Buffalo give up first round picks in 2026 and 2027, along with the rights to former 33rd overall pick wideout Keon Coleman – who many regard at this current juncture as a draft bust – in exchange for Crosby’s services.
Maxx Crosby Trade Package Sends Keon Coleman to Vegas
“If there were a team willing to go full [Micah] Parsons and send Las Vegas two first-round picks plus a player, there’s a strong argument it would be Buffalo.” Sullivan argues . “President of football operations Brandon Beane may also be feeling enough pressure to pull the trigger.”
Sullivan claims that mounting pressure on the organization to do its best to get All-Pro quarterback and former NFL MVP Josh Allen a Super Bowl ring could make them particularly aggressive in the trade market.
“The Bills are coming off a 2025 season in which they not only missed a golden opportunity to make the Super Bowl — with the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson  and Joe Burrow on the outside looking in — but also lost ground to the Patriots , who won the AFC East. That contributed to Sean McDermott being fired and Joe Brady being elevated to head coach.”
“Buffalo needs to improve the talent around Josh Allen , but it must also maximize the roster while its MVP quarterback remains in his prime. That includes improving a pass rush that produced the ninth-fewest pressures in 2025, according to TruMedia. When the Bills square off against Mahomes, Jackson, Burrow and Maye in 2026, they’d be glad they added a game-wrecker like Crosby — no matter the cost.”
In this scenario the Raiders get prime compensation for their prized asset: two first round draft picks in consecutive years, and a talented wide receiver to add to what is now a very thin receiving corps; whilst the Bills acquire one of the most disruptive edge defenders in the entire league.
Could the Bills Afford Maxx Crosby?
Obviously the Bills would love to add a player of Crosby’s caliber. And with the team perennially picking in the sub-25 first round pick zone, giving up back-to-back firsts would hold a low risk of having the team missing out on a very high, ultra-valuable draft pick.
But the main sticking point would be the salary cap implications. Buffalo are around $10 million over the cap heading into the offseason, and Crosby has a $35 million cap hit in 2026, the grand majority of which would be transferred to the Bills in a given trade scenario, putting them in even greater financial hot water.
Yet, the Bills actually have a lot of room to restructure players on deals on their team, which is estimated to be just shy of $75 million . And that is before the franchise looks at potential cap casualties like tight end Dawson Knox or wideout Curtis Samuel, who could be released in the spring to give the team over $16 million in cap relief.
If there is a will, it looks like there is certainly a way for Buffalo.
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