The success of the Las Vegas Raiders offense will be contingent on new quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo stepping up and bringing all of the skill position talent together. The Raiders are expecting Garoppolo to be a leader on that side of the ball, much in the way, Maxx Crosby is the leader of the defense.
Things are off to a good start as Garoppolo has recovered from his offseason surgery and is on the field at the start of camp. But even though he wasn’t able to take part in offseason activities prior to camp, he was still around the facilities, and he already has a fan in Crosby.
The Raiders star pass rusher spoke on Garoppolo following the first day of practice, noting how the quarterback is already trash-talking the defense making Crosby more excited to compete with him throughout camp, via Paul Gutierrez of ESPN:
“Jimmy’s cool as hell,” Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby said. “I’ve been here all offseason with him. He’s been training, working his ass off to get back. So, I’m fired up that he’s out there with us. Literally before practice started, he’s already talking s—. I love it. So that’s the kind of guy I want to compete against.”
Crosby would continue his praise of Garoppolo, calling him a ‘dog’ while choosing not to reveal the trash talk shared between the two:
“That’s between us,” Crosby laughed. “But he’s a competitive dude. I love him. He’s a dog and I’m not just saying that because he’s my quarterback. There’s certain guys that are dogs and he’s definitely one of them. So I love it. I’m definitely looking forward to competing and getting after his ass.”
While it may not seem like much, it is a great sign that Garoppolo is already gaining favor with his teammates, especially considering the man he is replacing. Derek Carr certainly received his share of criticism during his time with the Raiders, but one thing no one questioned was his leadership ability, and he was well respected and beloved within the locker room.
Garoppolo gaining the trust of his teammates is an excellent first step in his journey with the Raiders. For Crosby to speak so highly of Garoppolo already shows how well he has ingratiated himself with his teammates. The Raiders’ leaders on both sides of the ball seem to be on the same page and will push each other and the rest of the team to the level they need to be.
