The NFL offseason exploded into action on Sunday as the legal tampering period opened at noon ET, and the Baltimore Ravens wasted no time making the biggest splash. The Ravens acquired elite pass rusher Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders in a blockbuster trade that sends the No. 14 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and a 2027 first-round pick to Las Vegas.

The deal immediately reshapes the AFC landscape. Crosby, one of the most dominant and relentless edge defenders in the league, now joins a Baltimore defense that was already among the most feared units in football. For a Ravens team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations, adding a player of Crosby's caliber to an already loaded front seven could be the missing piece that puts them over the top.

For the Raiders, the trade signals a clear commitment to a full-scale rebuild. By parting ways with their best defensive player, Las Vegas is stockpiling premium draft capital to accelerate a reconstruction project that has been long overdue. Two first-round picks represent significant ammunition for a franchise desperately in need of a talent infusion at multiple positions.

The Crosby trade was not the only seismic move to kick off the tampering period. The Buffalo Bills struck a deal with the Chicago Bears to acquire wide receiver DJ Moore in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick. Moore gives Josh Allen another proven weapon in the passing game as Buffalo continues to build around its franchise quarterback. For Chicago, the trade adds another draft asset to a team that appears to be reshuffling its roster around its own young core.

Meanwhile, cornerback Trent McDuffie cashed in with a historic contract extension. McDuffie agreed to a four-year, $124 million deal with the Los Angeles Rams, making him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history. The deal underscores just how much the market for elite defensive backs has skyrocketed in recent years. McDuffie, still just entering his prime, has established himself as one of the premier cover corners in the league, and the Rams clearly view him as a cornerstone of their defense moving forward.

In another notable development, the Raiders are expected to release quarterback Geno Smith at the start of the new league year on March 11, further cementing the franchise's pivot toward a complete overhaul. Smith, who revitalized his career with the Seattle Seahawks before landing in Las Vegas, will now hit the open market as one of the more experienced signal-callers available in free agency.

With the official start of free agency just two days away on March 11, these early moves are setting the stage for what promises to be one of the most active offseasons in recent memory. Teams across the league are positioning themselves for the draft and the open market, and the transactions are coming fast and furious.

The Crosby trade stands as the headline act so far, a franchise-altering deal for both organizations involved. Baltimore is going all in on a championship run, while Las Vegas is tearing it down to build something new from the ground up. As the tampering period rolls on and free agency looms, the football world will be watching to see which team makes the next big move in what is shaping up to be a transformative week for the NFL.