Raiders Reveal Concerning Updates on Maxx Crosby & Brock Bowers
The Las Vegas Raiders are desperate to get back into the win column amid a three-game losing streak. Unfortunately, things don’t get any easier as they travel to Indianapolis in Week 5 to face a 3-1 Colts team.
To make matters worse, two of the team’s best players are injured. Tight end Brock Bowers hurt his knee in Week 1 and hasn’t looked like the same player since. He was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday, but it appears he may have aggravated something.
According to the Raiders’ injury report, Bowers did not practice on Thursday, which is not a good sign for his status in Week 5. He hasn’t had a big game since Week 1, so it’s possible that Las Vegas has decided to give him some time off to let the knee heal properly. The offense just isn’t the same without him being 100%.
That’s not the only concerning injury update. The Raiders also revealed that star defensive end Maxx Crosby was limited due to a knee injury. Now, Crosby would likely rather have the doctors cut his leg off than for him to miss a game this early in the season, but if he can’t play, that will be a major cause for concern. He was limited, so he wasn’t out completely, but he will be a player to watch.
Pete Carroll Talks Bowers
Bowers is coming off a record-breaking rookie season, and he didn’t miss a single game. It was a much more productive year for him.
While he was excellent in Week 1, Bowers has just looked like an average tight end the last three games instead of the All-Pro he proved to be last season. Head coach Pete Carroll recently admitted that the team is still trying to figure out the best way to utilize him right now.
“We’re still trying to go to him,” Carroll told reporters Wednesday. “We’re still trying to get the ball to him and use him for all of the great skills that he has. So, nothing’s changed in that regard. I think we’re going to see him better as he gets rid of that brace that he’s wearing in a couple weeks, whenever that happens.
“It’s worked out well to have him playing—he’s been out there and able to practice and prepare, and he’s an incredible asset to our team. But we would love for him to get the ball more.”
Should Raiders Give Bowers Time to Recover?
Bowers is a tough player, so he doesn’t want to miss time. That said, he’s clearly not recovering quickly enough. At this point, the Raiders might be better off giving him a week or two off to get closer to 100%.
Michael Mayer has a chance to return in Week 5, and he’s more than capable of being the No. 1 tight end for a couple of games. Bowers is a generational talent, so it’d be a tough call to keep him off the field, but he looks slow right now. He’s not a huge tight end, and his speed is what makes him a mismatch. If he can’t run at full speed, he’s not as effective. It might be time to take the decision out of his hands and force him to sit for a game or two.
Eagles Trade Proposal Brings $52 Million Beast in to Shore Up Pass Rush
With two edge rushers on injured reserve heading into Week 5, it would behoove the Philadelphia Eagles to go get another proven DE to strengthen the group before the trade deadline.
Currently sitting at 0-4, the New Orleans Saints, who are now led by former Eagles OC Kellen Moore, could soon be shedding some good players in exchange for future draft capital.
While the Saints very well may want to keep defensive end Carl Granderson around for their likely-imminent rebuild, Granderson’s profile is exactly what Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio looks for in his edges: length (he’s 6-foot-5), strength and the ability to disrupt consistently.
There’s the legit question as to whether the Saints would agree to part with him, but he’s someone Philly should absolutely be calling about regardless. Let’s discuss.
Eagles Hurting at DE & Could Use a Difference-Maker
To say the Eagles are in need of pass rushing help is putting it mildly. Philadelphia’s top pass rusher Nolan Smith is currently on injured reserve with a triceps strain and isn’t expected back until around the Week 9 bye.
Nee addition Ogbo Okoronkwo also just went to IR with a torn triceps. Those losses have pushed more snaps onto Jalyx Hunt and situational rushers Josh Uche and Patrick Johnson, and recent signee Za’Darius Smith is also being folded into the rotation.
Azeez Ojulari has been a healthy scratch for the bulk of the season and will likely see action soon. That’s a lot of uncertainty for a squad looking for its second straight Super Bowl. Adding Granderson would certainly help.
Eagles Trade Proposal Sends DE Carl Granderson to Philadelphia
After breaking out in 2023 with career highs in tackles (78) and sacks (8.5) while leading New Orleans in QB hits (20), Granderson followed with 5.5 sacks across 17 games in 2024. He’s started 2025 on an absolute tear—he has 4.5 sacks through four weeks—so he’s playing the best football of his career right now.
Here’s a trade proposal we put together that might get the Saints to listen:
- Philadelphia Eagles receive: DE Carl Granderson
- New Orleans Saints receive: 2026 3rd-round pick (conditional: becomes a 2nd if Granderson hits 9+ sacks or Eagles make NFC Championship in 2025)
- 2026 4th-round pick
Granderson, 28, is under club control on a four-year, $52 million extension he signed in September 2023, a deal the Saints tweaked this spring by converting 2025 salary to bonus. If they do decide to free up cap space for the future and unload some pricier vets, he could be on the exit list — and the Eagles should pounce.
His 2023 tape showed he could anchor versus the run (14 TFL) and still convert speed to power from wide or tight alignments. This year’s early production suggests he’s trending toward another career year. Philadelphia, in need of edge help and in win-now mode, is the type of bidder that can make it worth New Orleans’ while.
Granderson’s trajectory and contract make him a rare potential trade target who could help both immediately and beyond this season. If Howie Roseman wants a move that makes sense both on tape and on paper, this might be it.
