Not The First Time: Ravens GM Eric DeCosta Is Getting Exposed For Another Shady Trade He Made Just Months Before The Maxx Crosby Fiasco
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta is facing growing backlash around the NFL and on social media after scrapping the blockbuster trade he had in place for Las Vegas Raiders superstar defensive tackle Maxx Crosby.
Last Friday, the Ravens and Raiders reached an agreement that would see Baltimore land Crosby in exchange for two first-round picks. On Tuesday night, however, the Raiders announced that the Ravens had backed out of the deal.
Crosby, who’s recovering from surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, failed his physical with the Ravens. Thus, Eric DeCosta and the Ravens decided to nix the trade for the five-time Pro Bowler.
But as multiple fans on X/Twitter pointed out, this isn’t the first time DeCosta and the Ravens pulled off a sketchy move while dealing with a rival team. Before the 2025 trade deadline, Baltimore dealt veteran cornerback Jaire Alexander to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Alexander, who was dealing with a knee injury at the time, decided to step away from football before playing a single snap for the Eagles.
🚨TRENDING🚨#Ravens GM Eric DeCosta lied to the #Eagles before trading them Jaire Alexander, saying there was nothing wrong with him.
Alexander spent just 11 days in Philadelphia before retiring.
Yesterday, EDC backed out of the Maxx Crosby trade.
Awful look for an #NFL GM. pic.twitter.com/3JPDdIVfrg
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) March 11, 2026
Fans on social media let DeCosta hear it:
Remember when Ravens GM Eric DeCosta traded Jaire Alexander, informing them his knee was fine, when it was braised short rib? I’ve enjoyed interviewed DeCosta at the combine. He’s a true football guy.
But the history of Baltimore doing this with other players and now Maxx…
— Chase Senior (@Chase_Senior) March 11, 2026
Another bad look for the Ravens, indeed.
Just got surgery but passed his physical while Crosby didn’t? Makes sense…. Also the same GM that told Howie Jaire Alexander was fine then retired 2 days later lol.. hate the Ravens https://t.co/oD4YgEdUD2
— Ant Pierandozzi (@antpierandozzi) March 11, 2026
After nixing the Crosby trade, the Ravens signed ex-Cincinnati Bengals star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson to a four-year deal worth $112 million, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Eric DeCosta & Ravens Will Have To Learn The Hard Way
In the NFL, part of being a general manager is establishing trust and building strong relationship with your peers. But it’s a terrible look on Baltimore to have pulled off not one, but two shady moves on the trade front, in a four-month period.
The Eagles got burned in the meaningless trade for Jaire Alexander. The Raiders got burned in the failed Maxx Crosby trade. Now, opposing teams have little reason to trust Baltimore when it comes to negotiating trades.
Baltimore will have to deal with the reality that other teams will be hesitant to make deals with them. The Raiders, especially, got burned here. They’re unlikely to find another team that will pay two first-round picks for the 28-year-old defensive end.
