2026 NFL Off-season thread

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by dino7c

How is this on the Raiders?

It’s on the Ravens. Everyone in the league knows this is not the way you do business.

https://twitter.com/user/status/2031528397688455335

https://twitter.com/user/status/2031537016828047404

[browna]

Originally Posted by MRCboicgy

Bit of a longer read, but good explanation of the whole situation from a technical standpoint https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...canceled-trade

So technically, none of these trades have happened or free agents signed, and as Senator says, if one or two GMs decide to pull something back in a move to try and get Crosby, or the Raiders decide not to go through with signing some of their free agents because of the $30M Crosby makes maybe not off the books, or not getting two first round picks, a there could be a snowball effect.

BS or not, some teams will want Crosby and he will easily pass their physical without much issue if they say so, especially if they can get him cheaper than what Baltimore was willing to give up because the Raiders still want to move on.

[dino7c]

Hope Vegas doesnt send Rasmus back

[Senator Clay Davis]

Until we see how today shakes out it's tough to tell who is to blame right now. Right now it looks like it's the Ravens, but that's based on a perception they'll just sign Hendrickson instead. But if they end up with nothing at the end of this other than getting the picks back I'm not sure how that can be some masterful gambit by the Ravens.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Until we see how today shakes out it's tough to tell who is to blame right now. Right now it looks like it's the Ravens, but that's based on a perception they'll just sign Hendrickson instead. But if they end up with nothing at the end of this other than getting the picks back I'm not sure how that can be some masterful gambit by the Ravens.

Either way it's not masterful. They backed out of the deal because the owner and/or GM got cold feet which taints their reputation with other teams and agents. Remember the Ravens did this before in 2018 when they signed Ryan Grant only to get buyers remorse when Crabtree hit the market after, backing out of their agreement with Grant and immediately signing Crabtree. It's just the way the Ravens operate.

[devo22]

Ravens sign Hendrickson to a 4 year deal.

not even subtle. Hope that'll burn them in trade negotiations for a while.

[Erick Estrada]

What a greasy organization as Hendrickson just had hip/pelvic surgery (vs Max minor meniscus surgery) in December which I'm sure they could fail a physical if they wanted to. Fortunately the Raiders have enough cap space so while it throws a big wrench into what the Raiders just did in free agency, it's not nearly the disaster it could have been had the Raiders were tight up against the cap. Still they ####ed over another NFL organization and I hope GM's and agents don't forget.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Raiders should definitely file a grievance here. But yeah hopefully the Ravens desperately need to add players at this years deadline, will be fun seeing them get quoted five first round picks for backups.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

What a greasy organization as Hendrickson just had hip/pelvic surgery (vs Max minor meniscus surgery) in December which I'm sure they could fail a physical if they wanted to. Fortunately the Raiders have enough cap space so while it throws a big wrench into what the Raiders just did in free agency, it's not nearly the disaster it could have been had the Raiders were tight up against the cap. Still they ####ed over another NFL organization and I hope GM's and agents don't forget.

Max had a knee surgery so not sure that’s ever minor

Here’s the thing though - The Ravens could have just signed Hendrickson to start with and avoided all this - it’s not like he was left at the altar and they got him for a discount

They just gave $60 mil guaranteed to a 31 year old edge rush specialist

Maybe they got cold feet / reconsidered the pick value - but it’s not like the trade was lambasted in the media or fans were angry about it

I think it’s more likely they didn’t like something they saw in the medical then creating this mess for themselves because they changed their mind in 48 hrs

Either way - why does the NFL allow unofficial trades and signings at all ? Just start the season 4 days earlier or don’t allow .

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

Either way - why does the NFL allow unofficial trades and signings at all ? Just start the season 4 days earlier or don’t allow .

Classic NFL move really. This used to happen anyway, but then they created the "legal tampering period" instead of the usual behind the scenes tampering. Another move to drive up interest, which the NFL are masters at. This isn't the first move that was "agreed" to that eventually went sideways, but it's certainly the biggest.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

Max had a knee surgery so not sure that’s ever minor

Here’s the thing though - The Ravens could have just signed Hendrickson to start with and avoided all this - it’s not like he was left at the altar and they got him for a discount

They just gave $60 mil guaranteed to a 31 year old edge rush specialist

Maybe they got cold feet / reconsidered the pick value - but it’s not like the trade was lambasted in the media or fans were angry about it

I think it’s more likely they didn’t like something they saw in the medical then creating this mess for themselves because they changed their mind in 48 hrs

Either way - why does the NFL allow unofficial trades and signings at all ? Just start the season 4 days earlier or don’t allow .

Yeah it was just minor meniscus surgery for an injury that he could have continued to play on hence all the drama about him being upset for being sat the last two games. His own surgeon says he's ahead of schedule. What the Ravens did was within their right but they got cold feet and changed their mind. It is what it is.

[Sylvanfan]

It's not like Hendrickson is fully healthy and carries zero injury risk. This is 100% a case of the Ravens seeing a similar guy they could get without giving up picks and a contract with their terms.

I respect the cut throat nature of it, but I would think this should sour other teams a bit.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

It's not like Hendrickson is fully healthy and carries zero injury risk. This is 100% a case of the Ravens seeing a similar guy they could get without giving up picks and a contract with their terms.

I respect the cut throat nature of it, but I would think this should sour other teams a bit.

But they could have signed Hendrickson before - and they knew this

And I would argue they now had to overpay and lost any leverage because Hendricksons camp knew the Ravens would be desperate

Look at the overpay they gave him . 60M guaranteed for a 31
Year old coming off injuries. If the Ravens signed Trey to a sweetheart deal
I would agree 100% . But they didn’t . They actually overpaid in a panic.

It just doesn’t make sense from a Ravens perspective . You made a trade Lamar loved , fans loved , and media was fine with (no pressure to back out )

You then cancel the deal and have to overpay for a FA who was there from
D1 and sat out the first few unofficial days of FA thinking Crosby was eating your cap and watch your players leave

There’s zero upside for Ravens, and zero external pressure to reneg of this deal . It may even piss Lamar off who needs a new contract

I guess we’ll see if any other team jumps at Crosby . It’s entirely possible (and maybe probable ) he has something in the physical that is a lot worse than in the public domain .

Wha a disaster all round for the teams and NFl

[Jason14h]

Here’s a good summary of the events and Barnwells
Take

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...s-edge-rushers

But basically echoing my thoughts that it really doesn’t make sense for Ravens to back out / get cold feet

But stupider things have certainly happened

[Erick Estrada]

Are you a Ravens fan or something? It makes a lot of sense as the market for Hendrickson wasn't there as he got less from the Ravens than the Bengals even offered him. The Ravens realized they could sign Hendrickson for less than initial estimates decided it was better business to keep the picks and sign him instead. Max will be paying football in day 1 training camp for the Raiders or another team as there's nothing to see hear regarding his knee recovery.

[chemgear]

[SuperMatt18]

Yeah 100% they got word the Hendrickson would sign with them and decided to just go with him instead of moving 2 1sts for Crosby.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Are you a Ravens fan or something? It makes a lot of sense as the market for Hendrickson wasn't there as he got less from the Ravens than the Bengals even offered him. The Ravens realized they could sign Hendrickson for less than initial estimates decided it was better business to keep the picks and sign him instead. Max will be paying football in day 1 training camp for the Raiders or another team as there's nothing to see hear regarding his knee recovery.

Schefter reporting the Ravens were after both and already had this deal
Worked out before the failed physical - which would match the Ravens reworking Lamar’s deal today and signing no one else - they would have had cap room for both

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

But they could have signed Hendrickson before - and they knew this

And I would argue they now had to overpay and lost any leverage because Hendricksons camp knew the Ravens would be desperate

Look at the overpay they gave him . 60M guaranteed for a 31
Year old coming off injuries. If the Ravens signed Trey to a sweetheart deal
I would agree 100% . But they didn’t . They actually overpaid in a panic.

It just doesn’t make sense from a Ravens perspective . You made a trade Lamar loved , fans loved , and media was fine with (no pressure to back out )

You then cancel the deal and have to overpay for a FA who was there from
D1 and sat out the first few unofficial days of FA thinking Crosby was eating your cap and watch your players leave

There’s zero upside for Ravens, and zero external pressure to reneg of this deal . It may even piss Lamar off who needs a new contract

I guess we’ll see if any other team jumps at Crosby . It’s entirely possible (and maybe probable ) he has something in the physical that is a lot worse than in the public domain .

Wha a disaster all round for the teams and NFl

I disagree with you here. They traded for Crosby prior to the legal tampering period, and after losing a few players and seeing how the market played out had a better idea of what Hendrickson was worth. So they decided keep the picks and give him similar guarantees to what was left on Crosby's deal.

They misread the market and used a mulligan.

[DFO]

The Ravens are probably salty about the Linderbaum situation