If there’s one thing Jon Gruden knows, it’s what a dominant defense looks like. He had a front-row seat to one of the greatest of all time-the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a unit stacked with Hall of Famers and anchored by a relentless pass rush.
And now, Gruden believes it’s time for the Bucs to go back to that blueprint. His suggestion?
Swing big and make a move for Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby.
Gruden, who coached Crosby in Las Vegas from 2019 to 2021, isn’t just tossing out names. He’s calling for a game-changing move-one he believes could instantly reshape Tampa Bay’s defense and bring back the kind of edge that made the Bucs a nightmare to play against.
“If you’re anybody, you make a big play for Maxx,” Gruden said recently on The Drive w/ TKras. “If you’re the Raiders, you’re one of the dumbest franchises in America if you let him out of there.”
That’s not hyperbole. Crosby has been the heart and soul of the Raiders’ defense since he entered the league as a fourth-round pick in 2019.
And despite playing on a team that’s spent more time near the top of the draft board than the playoff picture, Crosby has been nothing short of elite. Five Pro Bowls.
Nearly 70 career sacks. Four double-digit sack seasons.
And back-to-back years leading the NFL in tackles for loss in 2022 and 2023.
He’s not just productive-he’s a tone-setter. A culture-changer. The kind of player who makes everyone around him better, even when the team around him is struggling.
That’s exactly the kind of presence Tampa Bay needs.
Under head coach Todd Bowles, the Bucs’ defense has shown flashes. They’ve got some young pieces and a few proven veterans, but they’re still missing that one guy who can take over a game in the fourth quarter.
That closer. That Simeon Rice-type player who can deliver the knockout punch when it matters most.
Gruden sees Crosby as that guy.
“He’s under contract, and he’s the best player on the team,” Gruden said of Crosby. “I think he’s arguably the most impactful edge rusher in football.
Absolutely. I think that’s a winning edge that a great defense has.
It’s a fourth-quarter pass rush. When we got Simeon Rice, things changed for us.”
And he’s not wrong. Rice’s arrival in Tampa back in 2001 helped transform a stout defense into a championship one.
His ability to get after the quarterback in big moments was a key ingredient in the Bucs' Super Bowl run. Crosby brings that same kind of juice-relentless motor, elite production, and a chip on his shoulder that never seems to go away.
The question now is: would the Raiders even consider moving him? And if so, would Bucs GM Jason Licht be willing to pay the price?
It wouldn’t be cheap. We’re talking about a player in his prime, under contract, and arguably the face of his franchise.
A deal would likely require multiple first-round picks, plus some creative cap maneuvering. But if there’s a front office that can pull it off, it’s Tampa Bay’s.
Licht and assistant GM Mike Greenberg have a track record of making bold, calculated moves-trading for Jason Pierre-Paul, signing Shaq Barrett, and building a Super Bowl roster around Tom Brady.
And speaking of connections, the Bucs have a few notable ones in Vegas. Raiders GM John Spytek has deep ties to Tampa Bay, and of course, Tom Brady-now a minority owner in Las Vegas-knows both organizations inside and out. That familiarity could help open the door for negotiations.
Gruden also pointed to another recent example of a team going all-in: the Packers landing Micah Parsons. That move elevated Green Bay from playoff hopeful to legitimate contender. Gruden believes the Bucs need to take a similar swing.
“Perhaps Jason Licht can swing a deal to get a great rusher,” Gruden said. “I’m sure he’s looking at the guys that are available in this draft, as well. That’s an area that the Buccaneers-I think we all realize-they’ve got to improve upon.”
The draft is always an option. Tampa Bay holds the No. 15 pick in the upcoming draft, and there will be pass rushers on the board.
But that route comes with uncertainty. Recent draft picks like Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Chris Braswell haven’t developed into frontline starters.
Yaya Diaby has shown promise, but he’s not the elite edge presence a top-tier defense needs.
Drafting another pass rusher is a lottery ticket.
Trading for Maxx Crosby? That’s cashing in.
Yes, it would be expensive. Yes, it would be complicated. But if the Bucs are serious about contending again-about building a defense that can close out games, win in January, and put fear into opposing quarterbacks-then this is the kind of move that makes it happen.
Gruden’s message is clear: don’t wait. Don’t hope. Go get the guy who can change everything.
And if Tampa Bay does? Watch out. That defense might just start looking a lot like 2002 again.