Antonio Pierce‘s early stretch because the Raiders’ full-time HC goes worse than his interim period began. The team is 2-4 and has lost one-sided matchups to the Broncos and Steelers in successive weeks. Pierce has benched Gardner Minshew, and the Raiders signed off on their long-rumored Davante Adams trade Tuesday.
Teams will undoubtedly be checking in to see if the Raiders are interesting in selling other pieces. One player who won’t be available: Maxx Crosby. Although Las Vegas is struggling, Crosby represents a foundational piece and can be on the right track for an extension — potentially as soon as 2025.
“It’s unlucky today, but there’s a lot outside chatter that is just not true,” Davis said, via The Athletic’s Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed (subscription required). “It’s not coming from any sources. It’s not coming from anything. My basic thing isn’t to reply all that stuff because, otherwise, you get trapped on this black hole. It’s just not happening.”
Easily the perfect move from the second Jon Gruden era, the Raiders selected Crosby within the 2019 fourth round. The Eastern Michigan product has been a revelation, leading the NFL in tackles for loss in 2022 and ’23. The Raiders prolonged their standout edge rusher in 2022, and their decision to authorize what amounted to a $6MM raise this offseason effectively points to a longer-term commitment — versus a player the team would consider dealing before the deadline. Crosby also received a $1.2MM bump for 2025; his four-year, $98.98MM contract runs through 2026.
Crosby got here up in trade rumors before last 12 months’s deadline as well; teams called to gauge the Silver and Black’s interest in moving their best player. Despite one other slow start, Las Vegas is ready to pass. Crosby, 27, is leading the NFL in TFLs this season as well. He has tallied nine, with 5.5 sacks to go together with that spectacular total.
The Raiders have shuffled through Crosby complementary pieces, sending out Yannick Ngakoue after one season and cutting Chandler Jones following a series of strange developments surrounding the 2022 free agency addition. Would-be starter Malcolm Koonce is out for the season. A top-10 pick in 2023, Tyree Wilson has began one game this season and has yet to record a sack or a tackle for loss. Yet, Crosby continues to supply. With Adams now gone, there is no such thing as a query who the Raiders’ top player is. And the team intends to take care of this beyond 2024. Crosby is interested by a full-career Raiders run, having said as much this summer.
Teams calling about Raiders could look to Josh McDaniels-era pickup Jakobi Meyers, who’s signed through 2025, and contract-year DBs Nate Hobbs and Tre’von Moehrig. With McDaniels and Dave Ziegler still in charge last 12 months, the team rebuffed the 49ers’ interest in Hobbs. However the established cornerback being unsigned beyond 2021 will naturally invite interest from coverage-needy clubs. A team in need of a backup or an emergency starter could also call on Minshew, who’s signed through 2025 but has $3.16MM in guaranteed salary (as a part of an $11.84MM base, for the reason that team has pivoted to Aidan O’Connell already.
