Stephen A. Smith has weighed in on the Baltimore Ravens’ decision to cancel their blockbuster Maxx Crosby trade, saying the issue was not the move itself but how it was handled.
The ESPN analyst discussed the situation after reports emerged that Baltimore backed out of the deal after initially agreeing to acquire the Las Vegas Raiders’ pass rusher.
Smith suggested the controversy surrounding the move could have been avoided with clearer communication.
Stephen A. Smith questions Ravens handling of Maxx Crosby trade
Stephen A. Smith addressed the situation during ESPN’s First Take, with the analyst discussing how the Ravens handled the deal for Maxx Crosby.
“He did nothing wrong in terms of his decision as a GM to make the move. He had every right to make the move. But how you handle it matters,” Smith said.
The comments were directed at Baltimore’s front office after the team backed out of the blockbuster trade that would have sent Crosby from the Raiders to the Ravens.
The proposed deal reportedly involved Baltimore sending two first-round picks to Las Vegas before the agreement collapsed during the medical review process.
Smith argued that the optics surrounding the decision created unnecessary controversy around the organization.
Stephen A. Smith explains why the Ravens GM decision looked shady
Smith also suggested the Ravens could have avoided criticism if the front office had simply explained the reasoning behind canceling the deal.
“You literally could sit up there and say, ‘We changed our minds. We reflected on this, and we don’t want to do this because we want to keep these two first-round picks, and we had an opportunity to get Trey Hendrickson, and this is a business decision,'” Smith continued.
The ESPN analyst concluded: “Had you done it like that, it might not have been liked. But in the same breath, it’s not necessarily corrupt, sleezy, and shady.”
The debate surrounding the failed trade has continued across the NFL community, with fans and analysts questioning how the situation unfolded.
For Smith, the key issue was not the Ravens reconsidering the move but the perception created by the way the decision was communicated.
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