It’s a new day in Las Vegas, where head coach Antonio Pierce has captured the franchise’s heart and soul and seeks to return the Raiders to what their fans believe is their rightful place in the NFL.
To do this, the new leader will lean heavily on three-time Pro Bowl defensive superstar Maxx Crosby.
The fiery edge rusher is the anchor of the defense, which, with the team attempting to develop a young quarterback, will have to carry the franchise as far as he can.
Crosby is such a disruptive force that some experts believe he will soon be recognized as the top defender in the league.
Bucky Brooks presented a strong case for Crosby’s contention for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2024.
Maxx Crosby for DPOY? Believe it! @BuckyBrooks examines the hype around one of the NFL’s top defensive playershttps://t.co/gzjwO30kuG pic.twitter.com/U3dAUrfIKe
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) June 16, 2024
Senior defensive assistant Rob Ryan, who knows a thing or two about dominant players on that side of the line, told reporters last week that Crosby occupies rarified air in the NFL.
Ryan called his star rusher the best defender in the league and went even further.
He said Crosby may be the best he’s seen in his 30 years of NFL coaching.
That is high praise.
But Crosby quickly developed into a powerful weapon that offenses are struggling to gameplan for, putting up 52 sacks and 88 tackles for a loss in just 83 games.
He is also durable, having started every game since his 2019 rookie season with the Raiders back when they played in Oakland.
And now that free agent Christian Wilkins is also in town to aid the pass rush, chances are that Crosby will have an even more monstrous campaign in 2024.
