The news that the Baltimore Ravens backed out of the Maxx Crosby trade, days after the initial excitement of acquiring him, hit like a ton of bricks for some fans. That rollercoaster of emotions was absolutely no fun at all. It brought a cloud of negativity, with people online saying the Ravens got “cold feet” and used medical concerns as a front to back out of the deal entirely. Talk about drama!
The “What If” of Maxx Crosby
Imaging Crosby, with his tenacious style of play and complete skillset on the edge, in that Baltimore defense for hours had fans hyped up. It would have been a perfect match. Honestly, the Ravens haven’t had an edge rusher of Crosby’s caliber since Terrell Suggs. Ultimately, the team pivoted, signing Trey Hendrickson instead and keeping their two first-round picks, which was a positive move in the end. Still, it’s a huge what-if scenario. You can’t help but imagine what a healthy Crosby could have done in Baltimore. This situation quickly devolved into ridiculous online arguments about those alleged nefarious reasons the Ravens backed out, and that discussion is still out there.
Jalen Ramsey: The Missed Dynasty Duo
Maxx Crosby isn’t the only “what if” that haunts some Ravens fans. Jalen Ramsey, one of the most physical corners of all time, was almost a Raven multiple times in his career. They tried to trade up for him with the Cowboys in the 2016 draft, but that deal fell through, and the Ravens picked Ronnie Stanley, which, let’s be real, isn’t a bad fallback option at all. But the real kicker was 2019. The Ravens reportedly reached out to Jacksonville when Ramsey was in his prime and nearly grabbed him. Can you imagine prime Ramsey paired with prime Marlon Humphrey? That duo might have been the NFL’s best and most physical cornerback tandem in history, no joke. Even as recently as last year, when Ramsey was traded from Miami to division rival Pittsburgh, the Ravens were reportedly still in on him. Despite chances in 2016, 2019, 2023, and 2025, it just never happened for him to become a Raven.
Terrell Owens and the Offensive Fix That Wasn’t
Then there’s the 2004 Terrell Owens saga, which is just fascinating when you look at team history. Back in 2003, Baltimore had just won the AFC North, largely on the back of an elite defense and a punishing ground game. No surprise there, right? But rookie quarterback Kyle Boller led the league’s worst passing offense with a relatively uninspiring set of targets, aside from a young Todd Heap. Woof. Adding Owens to the mix could have at least stabilized that passing game, making it a more effective complement to the Jamal Lewis-led rushing attack. Of course, that’s only if Boller could get him the ball. It’s wild to think about the difference in philosophy from those early 2000s Ravens compared to today. Imagine a team trading a second-round pick for a 31-year-old diva wide receiver now! Times sure change.
These “almost-trades” just stick with you, don’t they? They remind you how close a team can be to a totally different path, how one move, or lack thereof, can ripple through history. What other seismic “almosts” are out there in the league, just waiting to almost happen and drive fans crazy with “what if” scenarios?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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