Talker, Disruptor, Provoker, Game Wrecker: Maxx Crosby Can Do It All for the Raiders

After being on one of the worst defensive units in the NFL, he finally could have some help after a few free-agent acquisitions and the selection of Tyree Wilson.

Matthew Stafford didn’t completely disagree with Maxx Crosby’s sack count, crediting the Raiders’ Pro Bowl edge rusher for being a disruptor in multiple ways during Wednesday’s joint scrimmage between the Rams and Raiders.

“Any time he gets within five feet of me, he’s yelling ‘sack!’ in my face,” the Rams’ quarterback said. “I’m not just an absolute statue back there. I can move a little bit. I gotta watch the tape.”

Stafford has shown various times throughout his decorated career he’s capable of evading elite pass rushers to make downfield throws away from the pocket. But there’s no denying that Crosby would have gotten a sack or two if Wednesday’s somewhat friendly scrimmage had been a regular-season game.

Crosby has been a terror on the field for the opposition, while racking up 37.5 career sacks :: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

“He’s obviously a great player in this league,” Stafford said. “Fun guy to practice with. He’s bringing the energy down in and down out.”

Crosby’s mind games also got the best of Rams running back Cam Akers, who threw a punch at Crosby after the defensive end followed him downfield to knock the ball loose long after the play was ruled dead. Akers was sent to the locker room after the scuffle, while Crosby shouted advice to his teammates from the sideline.

From what Crosby displayed Wednesday and throughout training camp, he doesn’t need more practice reps before the 2023 season.

“I was just doing what I do,” Crosby said about Akers. “He didn’t like that. So he got what he got.”

Being a game wrecker, a provoker, and providing energy and leadership for his teammates are a few ways Crosby has helped the Raiders since being a gem draft pick of former general manager Mike Mayock. Crosby was selected in the fourth round of the 2019 draft, long after the 49ers took Nick Bosa with the No. 2 pick that year. Some might argue that Crosby has been just as good as Bosa throughout their careers, but that’s a topic for TV debate shows.

For the Raiders, Crosby provides value in various ways. Even his trash-talking skills can be beneficial at times if it leads to the other team making mental mistakes. The verbal jabs, however, didn’t help against Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes last year, which was a memorable scene from Netflix’s Quarterback show.

Crosby woke up the wrong mother-bleeper that time, but he can’t do everything for the Raiders’ defense. He’s needed help the past four years, and perhaps this is the year the Raiders’ defense isn’t at the bottom half of most critical statistical categories.

Unfortunately for Mayock, his three-year tenure as the Raiders’ general manager is best remembered for his draft mistakes in the first round, including the selection of Clelin Ferrell with the No. 4 pick in the 2019 draft.

Ferrell struggled with the Raiders and is now in San Francisco playing with Bosa, whom Mayock tried to trade up for in 2019. Obviously, GM John Lynch wasn’t interested in trading the No. 2 pick because Bosa was deemed a can’t-miss prospect, an assessment nearly every draft pundit got correct.

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Bosa, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, will likely be a yearly contender for prestigious awards, as long as his defense remains one of the best units in the league. As for Crosby, he’s been a long shot for DPOY and first-team All-Pro honors because he’s been the best player on bad defenses the past few seasons. Crosby, a two-time Pro Bowler, finished sixth in DPOY voting last season behind Bosa, Micah Parsons, Chris Jones, Myles Garrett and Haason Reddick.

And this is not to say that you have to be on top defenses to win DPOY because Khalil Mack did it with the Raiders in 2016. The Silver and Black were also bad defensively during Mack’s four seasons and have been for a very long time.

This is more about the Raiders needing to avoid wasting another prime year with Crosby on the roster.

Now it’s on Raiders coach Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler to help out Crosby, who has done his part with 37.5 career sacks, including a career-high 12.5 in 2022.

For their second offseason with the organization, McDaniels and Ziegler signed Eagles safety Marcus Epps and Steelers linebacker Robert Spillane—two players who have played with dominant defenses. They also used their 2023 first-round pick on edge rusher Tyree Wilson to go with Chandler Jones, last year’s prize signing.

If Jones has a bounce-back season and Wilson quickly finds his stride—he’s been sidelined with a foot injury—perhaps that could give Crosby a productive defensive line. Wilson was activated from the nonfootball injury list Wednesday and received limited work during Wednesday’s joint practice.

“We have some interesting competition over there, too,” McDaniels told Sports Illustrated in July about his defense. “We’ve added some new faces, both in free agency and the draft, and I think the guys who are in their second year in our system, it’s really an important part of their development. This is a big time for everybody. We’re growing, we’re changing, we’re learning. As you can see, they’re out there making plays, too.”

McDaniels said these comments after quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo threw a pair of interceptions in practice. McDaniels wasn’t worried about Garoppolo’s turnovers because the focus was to build chemistry with his new teammates and experiment in practice. Instead, it was more of a positive for the defense to be making plays during Year 2 with defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. Last season, the Raiders generated a league-worst 13 takeaways.

Maxx Crosby at work #Raiders pic.twitter.com/LT0nc9LBXQ

— Gilberto Manzano (@GManzano24) August 16, 2023

“It’s good to see your team compete like that, and really not realize who really got the better of the other side today,” McDaniels said. “That’s a good thing because both sides are making it tough on the other side, and that’s what we want it to be. We want it to be tough to succeed.”

The Raiders’ defense displayed more encouraging signs last week during two productive joint scrimmages with the 49ers. Las Vegas also flashed its defensive line depth by putting plenty of pressure on quarterback Trey Lance.

“I think they’re going to be a real good team this year,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told the Las Vegas Review-Journal about the Raiders’ defense. “They played us well last year when it was one of our toughest games. I think they’re only taking steps forward.”

Crosby and the Raiders’ defense showed signs of improvement Wednesday during the first of two joint scrimmages with the Rams. They were tested by a savvy veteran quarterback in Stafford, who didn’t have No. 1 target Cooper Kupp due to a hamstring injury.

At times, it seemed Crosby was doing the bulk of the work, but his defensive line teammates were moving the pocket, too. Perhaps this is finally the year the Raiders aren’t so bad defensively with a premier pass rusher on their side.

“He’s a great player,” Rams coach Sean McVay said about Crosby. “You can see he’s a guy who’s passionate, loves football. I enjoyed talking with him. … He’s as good as it gets at that position, and [I’m] super impressed with him.”