Bills could make a huge splash when free agency begins, but it’ll cost them a king’s ransom to do so
Brandon Beane, do your thing.
The Buffalo Bills are shaking things up at One Bills Drive, as was evident with their decision to hire former offensive coordinator Joe Brady as the team’s new head coach. Brady has already made the coaching staff in his image, bringing in some big-time personnel in hopes that Buffalo can get over the hump and bring the first-ever Lombardi Trophy to Western New York.
It’ll be a busy offseason for Brady and the front office, as the team is lacking in some areas that desperately need some improvement. With injuries derailing the roster in 2025, the team just couldn’t get after the quarterback when it mattered most, failing to sack quarterback Bo Nix even once in the divisional round loss to the Broncos.
Wide receiver Brandin Cooks caught the ball. I just want to make that clear.
The Bills’ pass rush problems came back to bite them
With their inability to get after the quarterback, one name is swirling across NFL circles, and I want the Bills to take a serious look at him. That man is none other than Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby. Crosby has reportedly wanted out of Las Vegas, and Buffalo could be a destination.
Jay Glazer reported that he believed Crosby’s time with the Raiders was over and that the haul Vegas could get for him would “probably be more” than what the Dallas Cowboys got for superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons. Parsons was acquired by the Packers for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round draft picks. A king’s ransom for a superstar player, and that’s most likely around what Crosby will warrant for teams looking to make a deal.
A to Z Sports’ Justin Churchill ran an experiment, fielding offers for Crosby and his services, and the winner came from the Dallas Cowboys, who offered a 2026 and 2027 first-round pick and defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa. Again, a king’s ransom for a high-caliber player, but that might be what it costs.
Is the price too high for Buffalo and Brandon Beane to take a swing on Maxx Crosby?
The real question is whether Buffalo would be willing to part with so many draft assets to bring in a proven commodity like Crosby. To me, that seems a little too steep, and I don’t see General Manager Brandon Beane pulling the trigger, but I’ve been wrong countless times before.
One thing to monitor and note is that Crosby did get some work done on his knee, which remains to be seen whether or not that would be a detriment to his trade value, or if Beane would want to take that kind of risk with such a player demanding such a high cost.
Beane was asked specifically about Crosby during an interview, and though it borders on the line of tampering, he made it clear that Buffalo will leave no stone unturned.
“You can assume that when certain names become available in our league, I’m going to look into it,” Beane said.
Buffalo is named as a team to watch out for in the Maxx Crosby sweepstakes
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the Bills are, in fact, a team to watch in the Crosby sweepstakes, though nothing can be done until the new league year, which begins March 11th.
“What has been made clear to me: Crosby wants to be a part of a winner,” Fowler writes. “That’s the priority. Whether and how that’s conveyed is still unclear. He has been fiercely loyal to Las Vegas. That loyalty will be tested more than ever in the coming weeks. The reality is the Raiders are still far away from significant winning, and the trade interest in Crosby is incredibly robust. In fact, I believe more than a dozen teams, possibly up to 20, will at least inquire with levels of serious intent. And there are some natural would-be contenders, including the Bills, Lions, 49ers, Cowboys and Ravens.” – Jeremy Fowler
If that’s the case, Buffalo’s interest shouldn’t surprise anyone.
The Bills are firmly in their Super Bowl window, and windows don’t stay open forever. Adding a relentless, game-wrecking pass rusher like Crosby would immediately change the complexion of Jim Leonhard’s defense and take pressure off a unit that struggled to finish when it mattered most.
The cost would be enormous, the risk undeniable, but championships often require uncomfortable decisions.
Whether Beane ultimately makes that leap or decides the price is simply too high, one thing is clear: the Bills are no longer shopping for maybes. They’re hunting differencemakers. And if Crosby truly wants to be a part of a winner, Buffalo will be right there when the league year finally opens.
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