No, this is not a drill. The NFL world has been completely flipped on it's head. Just days after the Baltimore Ravens and Las Vegas Raiders agreed to a trade to send Maxx Crosby to Baltimore, the trade just received the axe, all because Crosby reportedly failed a physical in Baltimore earlier today.
Not only does this mean that the sweepstakes for the 28-year-old are still ongoing, it means that the free agent market could be affected. The Raiders have been heavy spenders amid the opening wave of free agency, and if they don't get a trade done soon, their acquisitions, like Jalen Nailor, could be in serious jeopardy.
Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons have been quiet in Ian Cunningham's first offseason as general manager, but don't think that they aren't look to capitalize. Now that Kaden Elliss left for the Saints, Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker may be options, but that's not who makes the most sense for them.
The Falcons' biggest need of the offseason has been at wide receiver, and while they have already made two moves to address the position, who's to say they won't make a third? They were heavily linked to Nailor before he signed with Las Vegas, and they could get a second lease on life with him.
The end of the Maxx Crosby trade could give the Falcons another chance to sign Jalen Nailor
The speedster agreed to terms on a three-year, $35 million deal with the Raiders yesterday, and that deal was deemed an overpay. Nailor was never expected to land more than $10M a year on a new deal, but the flush with cash Raiders dropped a bag on him to pair him up with future No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza.
They also signed Tyler Linderbaum to a record-breaking deal, signed Kwity Paye from Indianapolis to replace their departed five-time Pro Bowler, and brought back Eric Stokes. Almost all of their moves, including signing Nailor, were contingent upon the Crosby trade, but they no longer have this money.
This opens up the door for Cunningham, ever the opportunist, to strike. The Dirty Birds already signed Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheus, so they likely wouldn't be able to pay him the $11.7 million per year deal he got from John Spytek and the Raiders, but maybe they give this a shot to keep adding to the WR room.
It's not like the Falcons are players for Crosby or Trey Hendrickson, but they still stand to benefit. If Cunningham is willing to make a splash at the 11th hour, even if it's just an attempt to poach the 27-year-old from Michigan State, we better get prepared for the ripple effect that could follow this news.