The first matchup of the Raiders’ season already has a little bite to it, and Maxx Crosby is right in the middle of it.
With Las Vegas set to face Miami on Sunday, Dolphins left tackle Patrick Paul didn’t exactly go out of his way to praise the Raiders pass rusher on Tuesday. Asked during a press conference about how he might handle Crosby, Paul said one approach would be to try to "getting him off his game." When the conversation turned to trash talk, Paul leaned in.
"I feel like, yeah, he's a hothead," Paul said, via David Furones of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "A lot of those things you could get into his game with that, but, I mean, he's a great player so you just got to stay on it all four quarters."
That’s the kind of line that can travel fast in an NFL locker room, especially when it’s aimed at a player like Crosby, who already carries that edge people notice immediately. Paul did follow the jab with the reality check, calling Crosby a great player, but the message was clear enough: Miami thinks there may be some room to rattle him.
Crosby will also be stepping into Sunday with a little extra noise around him. According to the source, this is his first time back on the field since getting traded to the Baltimore Ravens, failing his physical and getting sent back to the Raiders. So the opener comes with plenty of attention, and now a fresh bit of pregame shade from the other sideline.
In Other News...
Dolphins Open This Season With A Brutal Outside Message
The Dolphins head into their season opener against the Raiders on Sunday, Sept. 13, carrying a harsh national view of where this team stands before a snap has been played. ESPNs Adam Schefter has even pointed to Miami as a favorite for the first pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, while preseason projections have the Dolphins landing somewhere in the 3-14 to 5-12 range.
Joe Schads preseason NFL power rankings slot Miami at 30th, a reminder of how little margin for error the team is getting from outside observers. Even with Malik Willis noted as a key offseason addition, the message from the broader league is clear: the Dolphins will have to prove they are better than the expectation attached to them from the start. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins May Be Turning A Lingering O-Line Weakness Into A Strength
Jonah Savaiinaea spent his rookie year learning the hard way, but the Dolphins have seen a different version of the second-year guard this offseason. The added comfort has shown up on both sides of the line, and center Aaron Brewer has noticed the growth in pass protection and in the run game as Miami tries to firm up a spot that was too often a concern a year ago.
Kadyn Proctor has also given the Dolphins reason to believe there is more help coming on the interior, though the real test will arrive once the regular season starts and the pressure changes. For a team that has been looking for stability up front, the encouraging part is not just that one young lineman is progressing, but that there may be multiple options pushing the unit toward becoming a strength instead of a question. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Suddenly Have A Veteran Receiver Decision To Make
The Giants release of Darius Slayton created an immediate ripple across the veteran receiver market, and Miami is the kind of place where it naturally gets noticed. Slayton brings seven seasons of production with New York, along with 296 catches and 4,435 yards, and he also has a built-in connection to Dolphins wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert from their time together with the Giants.
For a Miami offense that can always use more proven depth at receiver, the fit is at least easy to picture. No move has been reported, but Slaytons availability gives the Dolphins another experienced option to weigh as they sort through their roster and look for help around a passing game that values reliable veterans as much as upside. [Read more 🡒]