Maxx Crosby has carried the Las Vegas Raiders’ pass rush for too long, and this offseason the team finally made a real effort to change that. The front office reshaped the defensive end group with a heavier investment, bringing in Kwity Paye on a big-money free-agent deal, re-signing Malcolm Koonce, sending Tyree Wilson to the New Orleans Saints and cutting Charles Snowden. Then came another move that could matter even more down the line: a third-round pick on Auburn edge rusher Keyron Crawford in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Crosby is locked in as the top man, but everything behind him is up for grabs. The bottom of the depth chart doesn’t look especially intimidating for Crawford, with only UDFA Cian Slone standing out as a sleeper to make the 53-man roster. That leaves a real opening for Crawford to force his way into the conversation if he has the kind of camp that turns heads.
The challenge is obvious. Paye and Koonce are the veterans the Raiders paid to help carry the load, and both are expected to eat into Crawford’s snaps.
But neither one arrives with a season that makes the job feel settled. Paye posted a 10.7% pass-rush win rate with the Indianapolis Colts in 2025, which ranked 45th among 62 edge rushers with more than 300 snaps, and he finished with 4.0 sacks.
Koonce checked in at 14.4% in pass-rush win rate last season, the same figure Crosby posted, though Crosby drew far more double teams. Koonce also had 4.5 sacks, so there’s still plenty to prove there.
There is hope that Koonce is fully recovered from a 2024 injury, but that still has to be shown. For now, neither veteran has done enough recently to make the Nos. 2 and 3 spots feel untouchable behind Crosby.
That’s where Crawford enters the picture. He brings the kind of traits teams bet on, and his production points to real upside after a strong run at Arkansas State and noticeable growth in two seasons at Auburn.
His 5.0 sacks as a senior won’t grab every headline, but his 18.3% pass-rush win rate absolutely will. That number is elite.
He also offers value against the run, which matters in a room where Paye and Koonce bring that skill as well.
The Raiders haven’t talked much about Crawford despite spending a third-round pick on him, but the path is there for him to be standing next to Crosby in the starting lineup by Week 1. OTAs and mandatory minicamp only tell so much without pads and contact, which is why training camp becomes the real test.
This is the moment for Crawford to show he belongs in more than a backup role. If the Raiders’ investments in Paye and Koonce pay off, great.
But if Crawford forces his way into the rotation earlier than expected, that wouldn’t be a bad outcome either. At minimum, the Raiders need him to be more than a name on the depth chart or a special teamer.
For a young edge rusher, there’s nothing like being thrown into the fire. Crawford has a chance to get that “Welcome to the NFL moment.” Now he has to make it count.
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Raiders Need This Camp Answer Before The O Line Derails Them
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The right guard competition could stretch through Caleb Rogers, Jackson Powers-Johnson, Trey Zuhn III and possibly Jordan Meredith, while DJ Glaze looks like the frontrunner at right tackle unless Charles Grant makes it much closer than expected. ESPN has already raised concerns about pass protection on that side, and the Raiders need a cleaner answer there before the line becomes the kind of problem that can undo whatever progress the new staff is trying to build. [Read more 🡒]