The Silver and Black made history on Wednesday.
The Las Vegas Raiders did much more than just extending the contract of star defensive end Maxx Crosby, they made him the highest-paid non quarterback in NFL history.
Crosby was given a three-year extension worth $106.5 million, with a heaping $91.5 million guaranteed, to keep him in ‘Sin City’, Las Vegas and a part of Raider Nation through the 2029 campaign, a person with knowledge of the contract said. The individual spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the financial details were not made public.
His average salary of $35.5 million in the three-year extension exceeds Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson’s average deal of $35 million, according to overthecap.com. That was the previous water mark for a non-QB.
Crosby, however, was asked about earning the richest contract outside of quarterbacks at Wednesday’s news conference. He was nonchalant and downplayed the significance of it, saying his main priority was helping the team succeed on the field.
“I’ve said it a million times, I feel like I was meant to be a Raider,” Crosby said. “I love being here. I love the people. You look at all the legends that created what this brand is, and that’s winning. Ted Hendricks, Marcus Allen, Charles Woodson, the guys like that that I look up to. That’s what I want to solidify, and those guys are all about winning.”
Crosby has been one of the NFL’s dominate pass rushers getting home to the quarterback with 59 ½ sacks since being selected in the fourth round of the 2019 draft out of Eastern Michigan. He is on the precipice of becoming just the third Raiders player in at least the last 43 years, 1982, to reach the 60 sacks plateau.
“I told him last night, ‘This isn’t for what you’ve done. This is for what you’re about to do,’” general manager John Spytek said. “He’s about chasing championships and so are we. That’s why we’re excited to start.”
Known for giving it all he has got and playing through injuries, Crosby nevertheless missed the final four games last season because he underwent ankle surgery. He estimated he was about a month away from being 100%.
Embed from Getty Images“I’m getting close. Pete (Carroll) was in there working on my ankle this morning,” Crosby said jokingly of his coach. “We’re in a great place, running on the treadmill, doing a lot of different things now, moving extremely well.”
Carroll, 73-years-old, made it abundantly clear early in the process that Crosby was the cornerstone of his plans entering his first season as the Raiders’ coach, replacing Antonio Pierce, even speaking directly to him at his introductory press conference in January.
“There’s no way we could find anybody that is more focused and directed and committed to giving everything he’s got to every opportunity he’s going to get,” Carroll said. “For us to make this statement today is like it fits perfectly. I’m so proud to have Maxx be part of the organization. He knows this is just the start and all the rest comes after it — the hard work and the dedication and all the pursuit that makes this thing really special.”
Crosby has an intensity and a drive that is second to none and matches his performance on the gridiron, and he said he was ready to get to work to try to improve on a season that ended with a disappointing 4-13 record and resulted in the firings of coach Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco.
It also was a disappointing season by Crosby’s lofty standards. He only could muster short bursts of how he played in previous seasons, finishing with 7 1/2 sacks and 17 tackles for loss. Crosby had a combined 35 sacks and 58 tackles for loss between 2021 and 2023 when he twice made second-team All-Pro.
“I’m not going to sit here and make a bunch of big predictions about what I’m going to do next year,” Crosby said. “I’m focused on being the best version of me today, and I’ll worry about tomorrow when it gets here. I’m truly just focused on the details and fine-tuning my craft in every single way across the board. Of course, I’m extremely motivated and excited every time my alarm goes off at 5 a.m. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
The Raiders signed guard Alex Cappa, who played for the Cincinnati Bengals the past three seasons. He was drafted in the third round in 2018 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where Cappa spent four years. Cappa has 96 starts.
