REPORT: Where Raiders' Crosby is Projected to Finish Among Pass Rushers in Sacks

Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby finished sixth in the league in total sacks last year with a career-high 14.5.

Las Vegas Raiders DE Maxx Crosby / Darrell Craig Harris, Sports Illustrated

Las Vegas Raiders All-Pro edge rusher Maxx Crosby has gotten to the quarterback more and more with each passing year.

After setting a then-career-high 12.5 sacks in the 2022 season, Crosby came back and posted 14.5 last year. He finished sixth in the league, trailing only Minnesota Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter (16.5), former Raider and current Los Angeles Chargers outside linebacker Khalil Mack (17.0), Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (17.0) and Jacksonville Jaguars edge rusher Josh Hines-Allen (17.0) and Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt (19.0).

Crosby was named a finalist for the Defensive Player of the Year Award, which ultimately went to Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett.

Going into the 2024 NFL season, ESPN BET has Crosby's over/under for sacks set at 13.0. In a recent article from ESPN's Seth Walder, Walder projects Crosby to once again finish sixth in the league in sack total, this time at 10.5, which would be a significant step back from 2023 and 2022.

Here was Walder's explanation:

"Crosby has at least one thing going for him relative to his peers: He plays more than anyone else. Crosby was on the field an astonishing 95% of the Raiders' defensive snaps a season ago. Those extra snaps (even Garrett and Parsons played only 81%) provide extra opportunities, and a few of them will result in sacks. Crosby's forecast is held back by the Raiders' preseason projected win total (6.5) and his lack of elite win rate metrics the past two seasons.

"Though not in the model, the fact that Crosby had seven sacks after five seconds last season, per NFL Next Gen Stats, gives me pause. It was the second most by a double-digit sack player in 2023 (Danielle Hunter, 9.5)."

Ahead of Crosby on the list are New York Jets outside linebacker Haason Reddick (projection: 11.0), Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (projection: 11.2), San Francisco 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa (projection: 11.4), Garrett (projection: 13.6) and Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons (projected 13.6).

As you can see, none of these projections are anywhere close to Watt's 19.0 total from last year. Anything less than 14 would have placed you ninth in the league last season.

You can read the factors that were accounted for while making these projections in Walder's article.

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