The Detroit Lions' hopes of landing Maxx Crosby just took a serious hit after a blunt update. Now, team president Rod Wood has delivered a reality check that fans didn’t expect.

“Even doing that, it still would have been a difficult situation over the next two years with cash," Wood told Detroit Free Press, when asked about delaying the re-signing of players like Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell to be in the mix for players like Crosby. "We just never were in the game for that, I’ll be honest with you.”

The president acknowledged that GM Brad Holmes has been facing salary-cap issues and cash constraints while filling roster gaps for the 2026 NFL season.  

The Lions are spending the money cautiously to make sure that they are able to sign players they want, but are also able to take care of the ones presently on the roster, Wood said.

"If we had gone out and done the biggest – let’s say we did the Maxx Crosby trade or the Trey Hendrickson signing, that probably would have meant, which one of these guys are we going to let go?"

According to Wood, for the past two off-seasons, the Lions have been majorly focused on re-signing their core talent for long-term contracts.  Such as Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeil, Kerby Joseph, and Jameson Williams.

With the money it takes to retain them, and also getting the right players from the free agency, it just wasn't feasibly for the Lions to get a talent as elite as Maxx Crosby.

Rod Wood Explains Why Adding Another Elite Edge Rusher Isn’t a Simple Move for the Lions

Wood pointed out a simple reality around players like Aidan Hutchinson. When you already have a top-tier edge rusher, finding another one at that level is rare. 

And even if you do, paying both becomes a challenge. Elite pass rushers demand top contracts, and stacking two of them can quickly eat up a huge portion of the salary cap. Crosby's base salary with the Ravens was $30 million.

That’s where the trade-off comes in. Committing that kind of money to one position means sacrificing depth or talent somewhere else on the roster. For Detroit, the goal isn’t just to get better at one spot, it’s to keep the entire team balanced and competitive over the long run.

Do you agree with Rod Wood’s approach? Share your thoughts with fellow Lions fans below.

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Written by

Kunwar Yashaswee Chhaunker

Edited by

Afreen Kabir