The Las Vegas Raiders have had no shortage of intrigue so far this offseason, some welcome and some not.
The hiring of head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek was just the opening act. The Raiders entered the offseason with several questions to answer, particularly in terms of roster construction. Franchise quarterback, weapons to alleviate pressure off of Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers, which free agents to bring back; the questions feel endless at times.
One of the most pressing matters, however, has to do with defensive end Maxx Crosby.
Crosby has been a franchise mainstay since before the Raiders moved to Las Vegas, but his future is currently uncertain. He has no more guaranteed money left on his current deal, and the franchise’s lack of stability and on-field success have lead to frustration. Unsurprisingly, the trade rumors continue to swirl around the star pass rusher.
ESPN analyst Dan Graziano provided his own take on the situation, and his prediction is far and away the best-case scenario for Raiders fans.
Graziano predicted that the Raiders and Crosby agree to a contract extension this offseason.
“Well, the Raiders are going to have to do something,” said Graziano. “Crosby and the Raiders agreed on a contract adjustment last offseason that moved money up from future years into 2024, but the result is his deal has two years left at an average of around $21.5 million annually — and none of it is guaranteed.”
“An extension that moves Crosby in line with the other top edge rushers in the NFL is probably the correct solution, and even with the Raiders under new management for the second offseason in a row, I’d expect them to treat Crosby like the franchise cornerstone that he is and get that extension done. He had 7.5 sacks and 43 pressures over 12 games in 2024.”
With rumors persisting about the Raiders trading the face of the franchise being traded to a contender this off-season, this is a much-needed change of pace.
Armed with the second-most cap space in the NFL and the sixth overall pick, the Raiders have the resources necessary to pull off a quick turnaround. Even in a competitive AFC West, the Raiders can make a push for a playoff spot in the same fashion as the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos last season. Locking down Crosby long-term goes a long way towards fulfilling that objective.
The Raiders will have to address the Crosby situation sooner rather than later, and fans can only hope Graziano’s prediction becomes reality.
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