"We'll close this out with a blockbuster that didn't happen even after a blockbuster fell through," wrote Davenport.
"It's been that kind of offseason for Las Vegas Raiders edge-rusher Maxx Crosby.
Crosby was originally supposed to be traded to the Baltimore Ravens for a pair of first-round picks."
The trade analyst suggested that the relationship between Crosby and the Raiders front office faced strain after the organization previously shut the defender down against his preferences.
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"But the AFC North team backed out of the deal amid concerns about his surgically repaired knee.
The Chicago Bears were also reportedly suitors for Crosby's services but balked at the Raiders' asking price, with head coach Ben Johnson telling reporters that the franchise has to balance the present and the future."
The proposal highlights a shifting valuation for Crosby, whose initial price tag of two first-round selections likely dropped following the medical cancellation by Baltimore.
"Despite a clear need at edge-rusher, the Bears did little in free agency or this year's draft to address the position.
Crosby is saying all the right things, but there is no way his relationship with a team that shut him down against his wishes last year and then tried to trade him to Baltimore is perfectly harmonious."
The structural divergence between the two franchises could motivate a deal, as Chicago pursues immediate postseason success while Las Vegas undergoes a longer rebuilding phase.
