New Headline: Watt’s Arrival Raises Ravens’ Defense Stakes; Talk Turns to Offense

Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Network Analyst hints at real Ravens reason for Maxx Crosby trade U-turn originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . By now, most of us know the Baltimore Ravens and Maxx Crosby ordeal, as the franchise backed out of a trade that would have sent Crosby to the Ravens in exchange for two first-round picks.

With many trying to make sense of it, the Ravens' reason was that Maxx failed his physical as he is recovering from knee surgery. But most know that Maxx was never going to be healthy enough to pass it anyway. That is why the whole situation felt a bit off.

But Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame thinks he has an idea of what actually transpired over the Crosby trade that was on, before it was called off. "Baltimore’s version: Crosby failed a physical due to his repaired left meniscus, and the trade was voided because of that designation," Verderame writes. "Is that true?

Sure, there’s a reasonable possibility Crosby failed the physical. "The more likely reality is Baltimore watched as its roster got ravaged in free agency, including the losses of Tyler Linderbaum, Isaiah Likely, Jordan Stout, Patrick Ricard, Alohi Gilman and Keaton Mitchell, and realized it needed those two first-round picks slated for the Raiders in the Crosby trade. " More: Analyst thinks Commanders made $100 million gamble in free agency Ravens move on to Hendrickson What made the Crosby failed trade even more odd was how quickly the Ravens pivoted to Hendrickson, signing him to a four-year deal the day after the failed trade.