A big factor in the Bucs potentially making a trade for Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby isn’t necessarily about the draft capital it will cost to obtain him, though that’s still important, it’s the amount of money that Tampa Bay needs to make room for if he becomes a Buc.
What gets overlooked is the overall cash flow that the Bucs will have to spend on Crosby, not just the cap room that is open to Tampa Bay. There’s a difference and it plays a big role in acquiring the talented pass rusher. The Bucs have several players getting paid over $20 million per season. Crosby is getting $35 million in 2026 before the number drops slightly under $30 million the following year.
Raiders DE Maxx Crosby – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Bob DeChiara
This season alone, the Bucs have six players that will cost more than a $20 million cap hit, and that doesn’t even include potentially re-signing Mike Evans or trading for Maxx Crosby. Quite simply, someone will have to be traded in a Crosby deal and likely because of financial reasons.
During a recent Pewter Report Podcast, we talked about a couple of players that could be traded in deal for the talented edge rusher. One suggestion is a young prospect that the Bucs could trade based on potential, the other two are core players for Tampa Bay, but are costly.
Bucs Mentioned As A Possible Trading Piece
The first player, who is more of a throw-in, is outside linebacker Chris Braswell. Let’s remember that Raiders general manager John Spytek was in the Bucs’ front office for years and played a big role in drafting Braswell. He liked his skillsets coming out of Alabama, although Braswell has been a bust in Tampa Bay. With David Walker returning from injury and trading for Crosby, putting Braswell in a deal opens up more room at outside linebacker while Spytek can see if he can get the most out of the prospect.
Probably the most idealistic trade would be wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. This may irk some Bucs fans, especially with the Mike Evans’ saga hanging in the balance, but Godwin has a base salary of $22 million and cap hit of $33 million. Godwin has one more year on his contract after this season, but no guaranteed money.
Bucs WR Chris Godwin Jr. – Photo by: USA Today
This creates more room to bring in Crosby, and gives the Raiders a top receiving target for their first overall pick, quarterback Fernando Mendoza. They’ll want to equip him with as much talent as possible, and Godwin certainly fits the billing. With a young stable of Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan and Tez Johnson, the Bucs could survive the blow of being without their two legendary receivers.
The third player that we talk about in this video is Bucs’ free safety Antoine Winfield Jr. The former All-Pro is under contract until 2027 and has a cap hit this season of almost $28 million. Winfield isn’t a player that the Bucs want to let go of, but the amount of money he’s making creates enough space to make Crosby a Buc plausible. If one believes that Winfield can’t come close to regaining his All-Pro form from two seasons ago, then it this would be the moment to trade him.
There’s two ways of looking at this proposition – On one hand, Tampa Bay loses a dynamic free safety who’s been the best player on their defense, but on the other, they finally get that daunting pass rush that they’ve sorely missed for several seasons. Crosby’s ability to get to the passer could make up for the big plays that have been allowed defensively.
Bucs FS Antoine Winfield Jr. – Photo by: Jeffrey Jones/PR
It certainly would be a surprise if the Bucs were to deal Winfield. Any trade done with the Raiders is likely going to cost several draft picks, and in the Bucs’ case, a premier player. Does their relationship with Spytek help them get to the front of the line if they have a similar offer on the table as another team? It doesn’t hurt.
Bucs general manager Jason Licht doesn’t like trading draft picks or big name players. But if the pass rush continues to struggle once again, there’s going to be a lot of finger pointed at him.
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In this clip from the Pewter Report Podcast, we break down the realistic trade package Tampa Bay would have to put together if they wanted to acquire one of the NFL’s premier edge rushers.
And it’s not just about draft picks.
We discuss:
Which current Bucs players could be included in a deal
Whether Tampa Bay has the assets to compete with other teams
How a Crosby trade would impact the salary cap
If the move would actually make the Bucs contenders
Trading for a player like Maxx Crosby would be a franchise-altering decision. But every blockbuster move comes with a real cost — and we name the players who could be on the table.
Bucs GM Jason Licht – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Would you make the deal?
👇 Drop your trade package in the comments.
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Click on the link below to watch the video of Pewter Report talking about potential trade scenarios and who the Bucs may have to deal to get Maxx Crosby this offseason.