- Total Trades: 3
- Average Grade: B- (83.3)
This page lists all the 2026 Trades for the Las Vegas Raiders. I’ve listed all of the NFL Free Agent Signing Grades here, which included the trades. Because I’ve begun posting polls for the trades, I thought it would make sense to list just the NFL trades here, so archiving the voting would be easier.
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March 2026 – Trades
Jets acquire QB Geno Smith from Raiders for late-round pick swap
Wow. To quote Butters, who sent this via text, “The fact that the Jets had to trade for Geno Smith shows how pathetic they are.”
I can’t believe the Jets traded for Smith, even if it’s a late-round pick swap. Now, I’m sure an ESPN DEI employee out there is thinking that this is a steal because they consider Smith to be a top-10 quarterback, but the truth is that Smith was never even close to being a top-10 quarterback. He at least was a mediocre starter once upon a time, but that’s not the case anymore. Smith is a horrendous, turnover-prone quarterback who makes idiotic decisions on the football field. He’s way past his prime, and he’s not worth any sort of pick swap.
The Raiders obviously won this trade. They would have won this trade had they received a sticky popcorn kernel off a movie theater floor in exchange for Smith, so the fact that they obtained a pick swap for him is almost miraculous.
Grade for Jets – TOP 10 MILLEN KIELBASA
Grade for Raiders – A+
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Raiders acquire CB Taron Johnson from Raiders for late-round pick swap
This trade reminds me of when a Dunkin Donuts employee is set to throw out stale doughnuts, but when one customer wants them for free, the employee demands that the customer pay half price for them. The Bills announced that they were cutting Taron Johnson, but the Raiders, our Dunkin Donuts customer in this example, came in right before closing and gave the Bills a late-round pick swap (sixth for a seventh) in exchange for Johnson.
This would have been a great trade for the Raiders a few years ago. Johnson was once known as a solid slot cornerback, but things changed in 2024. Johnson has struggled over the past couple of years, and he’s now 30, so he may never be the same. The Bills were done with him, so it’s odd that the Raiders were so eager to acquire him via a trade. Signing Johnson without relinquishing any draft capital would have made sense because there’s a chance Johnson could rebound with a decent year. However, it’s hard not to call this an overpay because the Bills were willing to receive nothing in return.
I’m not going to grade the Raiders poorly because it is just a late-round pick swap, but it’s obvious that the Bills won this trade. They didn’t think they’d get anything for this stale doughnut, yet they came away with a free upgrade late on Day 3.
Grade for Raiders – B
Grade for Bills – A-
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Ravens acquire DE Maxx Crosby from Raiders for 2026, 2027 1st-round picks
It was suspected that Maxx Crosby would be on the move, and the Raiders finally pulled the trigger. Crosby has been sent to the Ravens for first-round picks in the 2026 and 2027 NFL Drafts.
I don’t need to tell you that this is a colossal trade for the Ravens. They’ve had great defensive pieces, but have lacked a great edge-rushing talent for several years. That’s no longer the case, with Crosby joining a front that will also welcome Namdi Madubuike back from injury. Crosby has been a pass-rushing terror in the NFL despite very much around him in Las Vegas, but that will change in Baltimore. Crosby will be at his best, which will give Baltimore a much better chance of finally reaching the Super Bowl with Lamar Jackson.
I have to give the Ravens an A+ for this trade. Crosby’s presence shifts the balance of power in the AFC toward Baltimore, especially with Patrick Mahomes recovering from a torn ACL. Sure, two first-round selections sounds like a lot, but it’s highly unlikely that any combination of picks would have made a bigger impact than Crosby will in regard to winning a Super Bowl in the next few years.
The Raiders, meanwhile, did well to obtain two first-round picks for a player who is nearing 30. However, I can’t give the Raiders a high grade because they botched the situation in the first place. Had they not angered Crosby while resting him against his will last year, they wouldn’t have been in a position where they’d need to trade him.
Update: After having the night to think over it, I’m downgrading the Raiders to a C-, and no, it doesn’t have anything to do with all of the dumbest NFL people on Twitter agreeing that this was a win for Las Vegas. Getting the 14th pick in an underwhelming draft class and the 26th-32nd selection next year isn’t enough for one of the top defenders in the NFL. Sure, Crosby is nearing 30, but he’s still young enough to have 3-5 more great years. The Raiders needed those great seasons to compete for a Super Bowl in 2027 and beyond. Remember, Drake Maye nearly won the Super Bowl in his second year. The goal for the Raiders should be getting to the Super Bowl in Fernando Mendoza’s second or third year, and doing so without Crosby will be far more difficult.
Perhaps the Raiders will find a great player with one of the selections they obtained for Crosby. It could happen, but it’s about a coin flip. The odds of landing a Pro Bowler – which means less these days with Shedeur Sanders and Joe Flacco qualifying for the Pro Bowl last year – with the 14th-overall pick, historically, are 36 percent. The odds of getting a Pro Bowler with a picks 21-32 historically are 26 percent. This means that the Raiders are 52.6 percent to obtain at least one Pro Bowler with one of their two selections. Call me crazy, but a coin flip to land a Pro Bowler is not enough for one of the top defenders in the NFL.
UPDATE: The Ravens have backed out of the trade as a result of Crosby failing the physical. They get to keep their two first-round draft choices. It all makes sense as to why the Raiders were willing to accept a small package – a coin flip for a Pro Bowler – for their talented edge rusher. The Raiders can now only hope that Crosby will be able to recover from his knee injury, or they’ll have a major dilemma on their hands.
Grade for Ravens – A+
Grade for Raiders – C-
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