The NFL combine began on Monday, and there are several intriguing storylines for the New England Patriots. One has to do with a potential target in Maxx Crosby, as reported by NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero.

Crosby has been rumored to be a Patriots target. The Athletic’s Diana Russini noted that Crosby told her that he wants to come to New England. Crosby has also praised Patriots players in the past, as well as the coaching staff. New England would be a strong fit for a defense-minded organization that is coming off a Super Bowl appearance.

Status of New England Patriots Target Should Be Clearer

Pelissero noted that teams have an opportunity to get clarity on his future this week, with the combine in full swing.

“Any team that is a contender with a pass rush need and cap space… I anticipate would be involved if the Raiders decide they are willing to trade Crosby.”

Crosby would fill the Patriots’ need for a consistent pass rusher and edge player. He is coming off a season that saw him record 73 combined tackles, 10 sacks, and to forced fumbles in 17 games. He held down the title of one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL. The 2025 season was not a flash in the pan. It marked the fourth season in his career that saw him record 10 sacks.

He has recorded 69.5 career sacks and 439 total tackles across seven NFL seasons. All of those seasons have been with the Raiders, and he has been consistent. He has never reported fewer than seven sacks in a season in his career.

There should be multiple suitors for Crosby, as he is one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL  The Patriots are in a unique position, as they are picking second-to-last in the NFL draft. This will be the first time in two years that they will not have a top-five selection. The first-round pick could be used in a trade for Crosby.

The defender signed a three-year, $106.5 million contract extension in March 2025. The deal includes $91.5 million in guaranteed money. This averages out to $35.5 million per season, making him one of the highest-paid defensive players in the league. The Patriots may have to do some restructuring and maneuvering to get Crosby on the roster.

Patriots Established Solid Pass Rush Last Year

The Patriots were able to rush the passer decently last season. They had 35 total sacks across 17 games. They were able to get production from multiple players on the roster. Harold Landry III had 8.5 sacks. K’Lavon Chiasson had 7.5. Though they did a decent job of rushing the passer, having someone like Crosby on the defensive line would make that aspect of the defense even better.

This will be a storyline with monitoring throughout the course of the week. The Patriots and Crosby have been linked throughout the course of this offseason. It would be reasonable to expect buzz to increase. However, any expectations of them getting any sort of deal done would be optimistic.

For now, the Patriots need to lay the groundwork for a deal. Will any definitive Crosby movement come to fruition over the course of this week? Probably not. However, now is the time when the buzz starts to generate around deals.