The NFL world was blown up on Tuesday night after a shocking development in the previously agreed-upon Maxx Crosby trade. The Baltimore Ravens backed out of the deal a day before the trade would have become official.
Directly, this does not affect the Miami Dolphins, but if Crosby remains with the Raiders now, Miami will have to face him in 2025. Indirectly, this could change some of what we saw over the last 24 hours with free agency.
Several teams were interested in the high-profile pass rusher, and they may turn back to the Raiders to make that deal. Since all negotiated agreements during the "tampering" period are handshake agreements and nothing more, could teams pull out of those deals, thus sending players back into the market?
From the #Raiders: pic.twitter.com/6oMYCOLZfi
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 10, 2026
Miami Dolphins fans are all too familiar with free agency failed physicals
Crosby was in Baltimore on Tuesday, and it appears, per reports, that he was unable to pass his physical. He is currently rehabbing a knee injury, making the likelihood of passing that physical unlikely.
Dolphins fans know what this is like. In 2006, Miami traded a second-round pick to the Vikings for Daunte Culpepper. Miami had been close to signing Drew Brees, but the team's medical doctors would not clear his shoulder. Miami banked on Culpepper's knee to recover. We all know the rest.
The Raiders believed they had a deal on the table. Now the question is whether or not the players they have agreed to deals with will be problematic for their salary cap. All teams must be cap-compliant by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
To put this into perspective, the Dallas Cowboys were close to landing Crosby before the Ravens stepped in. When that didn't happen, they traded with the Packers for Rashan Gary. That deal, like Crosby's, won't be official until Wednesday.
The question now is whether or not the Cowboys will back out and make the deal for Crosby instead? The deal with Green Bay is for a 4th-round pick. Hardly the two number ones that the Raiders were getting for Crosby.
The Dolphins won't be involved in getting Crosby, and if the Cowboys back out, they likely won't move a 4th to get Gary. We do know that he will not be heading to the Patriots. According to some rumors, the Raiders' minority owner, Tom Brady, will not allow a trade to the Patriots.
Stay tuned NFL fans, this year's opening to free agency just took a big turn!