The Raiders made a number of big moves this offseason, including trading for Davante Adams and signing Chandler Jones to a new deal. But they also were able to secure extensions for a few players, including Maxx Crosby.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Crosby’s new deal is worth up to $95 million over the next four years with $53 million in guaranteed money. That makes him the fifth-highest paid EDGE defender in the NFL heading into the season.
For that reason alone, that move was one of the best ones the Raiders made this offseason. Here is what Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus had to say about that deal earlier this offseason:
“Extending edge defender Maxx Crosby as soon as possible coming off his dominant 2021 campaign in which he led the NFL with 100 quarterback pressures was smart business, as his deal will surely be surpassed by a few other members of the 2019 Draft in due time.
Las Vegas has been proactive the last few offseasons with early extensions, and these deals will help balance the major deals for newcomers including wide receiver Davante Adams.”
There are a handful of “big” names that are eligible for contract extensions at defensive end over the next two seasons, which means that Crosby’s deal will soon look like a major bargain. It wouldn’t even be a surprise if he wasn’t a top-10 paid defensive end by the 2024 season.
Locking up elite players early in their contracts is how the good teams get ahead in the NFL. And that’s exactly what the Raiders did with Maxx Crosby earlier this spring.