The defense of the Las Vegas Raiders is undoubtedly the side of the ball that needs a lot of fixing. Outside of star pass rusher Maxx Crosby there was very little to speak of positively, but the franchise has made a couple of moves in free agency on that side of the ball with the biggest being the addition of linebacker Robert Spillane.
The Raiders are surely hoping Spillane can help this defense much like Crosby has already proven to be and the franchise’s new addition is well aware of what Crosby brings to the table. “Maxx Crosby has always been a dominant force on the football field,” Spillane said at his introductory press conference. “I mean, his size, speed, and athleticism speaks for that.”
Spillane would continue on, revealing a conversation he had with Crosby the prior night where he was reminded of a bit of a confrontation the two had in college.
“So, it was actually great getting to talk to Maxx last night and he gave me a call on the phone and congratulated me in becoming a Raider,” Spillane added. “He told me a fun story about when he was a freshman with Eastern Michigan and I was on the punt team, we kind of got into a sort of a confrontation. And he remembered this, and he shared the story with me, so we had some exchange of words for each other. And our respect for each other has only grown since then.”
Crosby remembering an incident between he and Spillane from eight years ago is a testament to his excellent football mind and why he is so successful throughout his career already. The Raiders defensive end is one of the best pass rushers in the league and a cornerstone of this Raiders franchise.
With any luck Spillane will prove to be someone this franchise can keep around for some time, to help the Raiders get back amongst the NFL’s elite. In order to do so the defense will have to be much better than it was last year and perhaps these two will be the driving force behind it.
