Maxx Crosby may be the face of the Raiders, but the bigger story here is how the league still talks about him: as one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers, even while Las Vegas itself is viewed as something less than a serious contender heading into the 2026 season.
That contrast came into focus on Tuesday when ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler shared what league executives are saying about the top-10 pass rushers in the league. Crosby landed on that list, reinforcing the respect he continues to command despite the Raiders’ uneven standing around the NFL.
The 28-year-old has never been in doubt as a talent. The problem has been the setting. His career has largely played out on a Raiders team that has hovered between mediocre and irrelevant, and his lone career playoff appearance says plenty about that reality.
Fowler also noted that Crosby was believed to be headed to Baltimore before that deal fell apart. Instead, he remains in Las Vegas, where the Raiders have spent the offseason trying to build something sturdier around him.
The front office has overhauled the defense and added multiple notable pieces, especially in the front seven, giving Crosby more help than he has had for much of his career. That matters because the league still sees him as a defender who does more than chase sacks. He’s the kind of edge rusher who affects the game in different ways, play after play, which lines up with the anonymous NFC executive’s view of him.
Even with injury concerns and Crosby getting closer to 30, the respect hasn’t faded. He’s still viewed as one of the most complete players in football. And if the Raiders can finally put together a competent season, there’s at least a path to the playoffs - and maybe, for once, a chance to see Crosby doing his best work in meaningful games down the stretch.
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