NFL executives just gave Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby a boost that he probably didn’t even need
The Las Vegas Raiders are ready for the 2026 season, and
The Las Vegas Raiders have one of the very best players in the entire league. Maxx Crosby is still that, no matter what anyone or any team *coughs Baltimore Ravens* thinks about him.
And, just to prove that, there are NFL Executives and coaches in the league who still believe Crosby is that dude. Some think that he’s not great anymore because of the wear and tear. Some think he is still one of the best in the league. He will think a recent ranking of him is low, giving him another boost that he probably doesn’t even need. Crosby makes mental notes of everything.
Recently, ESPN dropped its list of top players at the defensive end, or edge rusher, position. They ranked them based on what anonymous NFL executives ranked them. They were also able to gather information and quotes that way. The NFL executives ranked Crosby as the fourth-best edge rusher in the league. Here is some of the things in that article:
NFL executives rank Maxx Crosby as No. 4 EDGE in ESPN article
“Voters who value a complete game — relentless play from start to finish — rank Crosby very high. He has the best motor of any defensive player. Crosby has 69.5 sacks in seven seasons, joining Greg Townsend (107.5) and Howie Long (84.0) as the only Raiders to surpass the 60-sack mark since 1982. Crosby’s 35 career games with five or more pressures since entering the league in 2019 are the most in the NFL during that span. One knock on Crosby: The motor that makes him great creates the threat of wear and tear. He doesn’t like to come off the field. The Ravens had concerns about his surgically repaired knee when they nixed the trade for Crosby in March.
“‘He’s a bad motherf—er,” an NFC exec said. “Versus the run, the pass, whatever. He’s a pain in the ass all game. You’re getting a complete body of work with Maxx; he does everything well,” an AFC executive said. “Pass rush, splash plays, great against the run, high motor, tackles in the backfield.’”
Maxx Crosby is still the best of the best, despite the injury
The 2026 season looms large for Crosby on a personal level. He is recovering from a knee injury that kept him from participating physically in OTAs and mandatory minicamp this offseason. He has been present at the facility to support his teammates and go through stretches, but he hasn’t been doing on-field work. But, he’s ready to show that he is still one of the best players in the league.
Based on everything reported, Crosby could be ready by Week 1, but there’s always uncertainty in these situations. It’s worth remembering what he did last season even while banged up. Crosby recorded 10 sacks in a limited number of games on a bad team while dealing with injuries throughout the year. That kind of production under those circumstances speaks to the caliber of player he is.