The Las Vegas Raiders have a couple of players who are clearly foundational players whom the franchise can build around and without a doubt that defensive stalwart is pass rusher Maxx Crosby. A fourth-round pick back in 2019 Crosby has quickly grown to be recognized as one of the best defensive ends in the entire NFL.
Crosby has yet to miss a game in four seasons with the Raiders and is one of the absolute best in the league at getting into the backfield and wreaking havoc on the opposition. Recently he got the chance to break down some of the excellent plays he has made over the years.
Crosby appeared on a segment of NFL Total Access on the NFL Network where he was able to break down film of himself with Brian Baldinger and give some insight into what was going through his mind in these moments:
The range of plays Crosby makes within this video is truly impressive and shows off his wide-ranging move-set and uncanny instincts. From recognizing a screen in his rookie season and showing great pursuit to force a fumble to using spin moves, power, and speed to confuse the offensive line, Crosby truly has it all and has been basically unstoppable since coming into the league.
Last season was another outstanding one for Crosby even if he wasn’t properly recognized for it. His 12.5 sacks were a career-high and ranked in the top 10, but his 89 total tackles were far more than other esteemed pass rushers such as Myles Garrett who had 60, and AP Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa who had just 51.
Additionally, Crosby led the NFL in tackles for loss with 22 and finished second in QB hits with 36, trailing only Bosa who had an unreal 48. Despite this outstanding season, Crosby somehow wasn’t even named a Second Team All-Pro, drawing the ire of some teammates.
Now going into his fifth NFL season, Crosby is looking to continue to grow and be the absolute best at his position the league has to offer. He will also get the chance to mentor the next up as the Raiders took defensive end Tyree Wilson with their first-round pick in this year’s draft and the more he can teach and help him grow, the better things will be both for himself and the Raiders as a whole.
The end goal is always to get to and win the Super Bowl, and players like Crosby are what a team needs to achieve that ultimate dream.
