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Cincinnati Bengals star receiver Ja’Marr Chase wasn’t happy at all to hear news of the Las Vegas Raiders trading five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby to his rival Baltimore Ravens.
Chase was on a livestream playing video games when he said he got a text from his quarterback, Joe Burrow, about the Ravens’ move for Crosby. He let an expletive-laden rant once he read the text.
“Joe just f—ing texted me. Ravens traded for Maxx Crosby,” Chase was heard saying over the livestream. “No f—ing s—. No f—ing s—, brother.
“I’m f—ing highly pissed right now. Oh my God.”
As he processed the information, Chase couldn’t believe Crosby is yet another high-end pass rusher being added to an already stacked AFC North, which has Cleveland Browns’ Myles Garrett, who rewrote the single-season sack record in 2025, and Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro T.J. Watt, among others.
“How do we let this n—- go to the f—ing division bro?” Chase questioned. “… Oh my god.”
The Raiders received two first-round picks from the Ravens, including their No. 14 overall selection in next month’s NFL Draft, to land the 28-year-old Crosby. Baltimore, with new defensive-minded head coach Jesse Minter, are not playing around about bolstering the defense, and they finally got the Eastern Michigan product out of Las Vegas after seven seasons.
But Chase knows that Crosby could be affecting his workload twice a year, as the Bengals haven’t had the most offensive lines in recent seasons.
Since entering the NFL in 2020 as the first overall pick, Burrow has been sacked 213 times, the fourth-most among active quarterbacks in that timeframe. Justin Herbert, Russell Wilson, and Baker Mayfield have been sacked more.
The Bengals certainly need to keep addressing their O-line heading into 2026, and they have around $47 million to currently work with during the legal tampering period, which begins on Monday. Perhaps they will look to shore up that spot, or look in the NFL Draft to make sure Burrow is covered on all ends.
Meanwhile, the Bengals are likely moving on from their top pass rusher, as they didn’t use the franchise tag on Trey Hendrickson, who is expected to get a large deal in free agency – one he was hoping the Bengals would give him last offseason. Instead, he played on a one-year deal, and he is an unrestricted free agent this time around.
Since losing in the AFC Championship Game in 2022, which came one season after falling to the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl, the Bengals haven’t since the success they were used to. That partially has to do with serious injuries to Burrow in 2023 and this past season, where the team finished 6-11 as the signal caller played only eight games.
The Bengals still have the offensive firepower to go along with Burrow and Chase, as fellow receiver Tee Higgins re-signed to an extension last offseason, and running back Chase Brown has been quite the addition since being drafted in the fifth round in 2023. He rushed for 1,019 yards and caught 69 passes for 437 yards in 2025.
But it’s always tough going against AFC North defenses six times a year, and the Ravens will be more formidable with Crosby on their side.
Chase clearly knows it.
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