Maxx Crosby Alternative Emerges For New England Patriots With 5-Time Pro Bowl Superstar
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
The New England Patriots missed out on Maxx Crosby after reportedly leading the race to land the star defensive end alongside the Seattle Seahawks. The Pats lost Super Bowl 60 to the NFC West squad, and they planned to bolster their ranks for 2026.
Amid rumors of Tom Brady not wanting to do business with his former team, the Baltimore Ravens sent two first-round picks to the Las Vegas Raiders to land Crosby. They backed out of the deal after Crosby failed his physical, raising eyebrows around the league.
The Raiders are keeping Crosby, at least until the trade deadline, meaning that the Patriots will have to look for an alternative. On Thursday, an analyst mentioned a five-time Pro Bowler as an option.
New England Patriots Linked With Move For Joey Bosa
Matt Okada of NFL.com named a “sack specialist” as the Patriots’ biggest roster hole. The solutions were either trade for Maxx Crosby or use the No. 31 pick to land a pass rusher and sign a rotational veteran. While agreeing that having Crosby would be huge for New England, he mentioned a series of veterans who could work together with a rookie.
“The more mild and realistic option is to draft an edge rusher in the first round and sign one of the well-seasoned rotational veterans still on the market — Joey Bosa, Haason Reddick, Cameron Jordan or former Patriot Kyle Van Noy,” Okada wrote.
Joey Bosa spent the 2025 season with the Buffalo Bills. In 15 games, he recorded 29 tackles, 16 quarterback hits, five sacks and two passes defended. At 30, he is past his best years with the Chargers.
However, Bosa could help a newcomer while giving the Pats the necessary experience to pressure opposing offenses.
