Maxx Crosby has spent the offseason as one of the biggest talking points around the Raiders, and now Las Vegas may have a rookie who can make life a little easier for him.
The Raiders head into the new season with Crosby back in the fold, along with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins and rookie Fernando Mendoza. That has fueled plenty of buzz about what this team can be now and down the road.
Crosby’s name has been in the spotlight all offseason, too, after the Raiders reportedly traded him to the Baltimore Ravens before the deal was overturned because of Crosby’s failed physical. Even so, there’s no sign he’ll have real health problems this season, and he remains one of the league’s best edge rushers.
The help angle starts with Treydan Stukes. In an ESPN feature that asked Matt Bowen, Mike Clay, Dan Graziano, Pamela Maldonado and Jordan Reid to identify rookie players to watch, Bowen tabbed the Raiders safety as his No. 2 under-the-radar pick.
That matters for Crosby because a reliable safety can make an edge rusher’s job easier by cleaning up behind the pressure and helping turn disruption into actual stops. Bowen pointed to Stukes’ role in camp and his fit in the defense.
"The Raiders' second pick after drafting Mendoza, Stukes has seen reps with the first-team defense in camp," he states in the feature. "He has the range and instincts to play from depth in split-field or post alignments, and he brings a coverage element to new coordinator Rob Leonard's system. Look for Stukes to even align at the nickelback position."
Stukes’ versatility gives the Raiders another moving piece in the secondary, and that could be especially useful for a defense built around Crosby’s ability to wreck plays up front. If Stukes settles in the way ESPN thinks he can, it gives Las Vegas a chance to let Crosby do what he does best.
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Among the newcomers, defensive back Treydan Stukes could be asked to step right into the safety picture, while offensive lineman Zuhn is positioned to compete for meaningful work up front. Cornerback McCoy is a little different case, since the Raiders are expected to ease him along after his time away from football, but the overall trend is clear: this is a roster where rookies may not just be supplementing the plan, they may be helping define it. [Read more 🡒]