Maxx Crosby Reveals Which QB He Wanted to Join Raiders

Getty Las Vegas Raiders DE Maxx Crosby.

Following Derek Carr’s benching by the Las Vegas Raiders, all signs pointed to the team trying to add Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady in free agency. The future Hall of Famer was a logical fit with head coach Josh McDaniels and appeared to be looking for a fresh start. However, Brady surprised the world on Wednesday when he announced that he’s officially retiring from the NFL for good.

That has to be a blow to the Raiders as they seemed all-in on the quarterback. Even some of the players started to get on board with the idea. Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby was recently asked, prior to Brady’s announcement, who he’d like to be the next quarterback in Las Vegas. He didn’t hesitate with his answer.

“I would love to have Tom Brady,” Crosby said on the January 31 episode of “Bussin’ With The Boys.” “I don’t know how that could be controversial. It’s Tom Brady. As a leader. As a f***ing player. As the GOAT. F*** yeah, I would love to play with Tom Brady.

“If he would come to Vegas, I would go to wherever he’s at to introduce myself. The level of respect I got for him is out this world. But, yeah, I would love to have Tom Brady.”

What Brady’s Retirement Means for Raiders

With Brady retiring, the odds of the Raiders drafting a quarterback in the first round skyrocket. Though the team likely prepared for the possibility that Brady wasn’t going to play again, it’s hard to imagine that the fact that he was going to be a free agent didn’t factor into why the team benched Carr. Now that he’s off the market, it won’t be easy to find a quarterback in free agency who is better than Carr.

If the Raiders still want to go with a veteran, Jimmy Garoppolo is the obvious target. He spent his first four years in the NFL with McDaniels and knows the offense well. Jacoby Brissett is another free agent quarterback who has played under the coach. The Raiders could also look to the trade market to bring in Aaron Rodgers or Lamar Jackson but those two will cost a lot of money and draft capital. The situation remains fluid but the Raiders need to ensure they have a strong plan at quarterback or McDaniels’ seat could warm up very quickly in 2023.

Raiders Should Focus on Drafting QB

While the Raiders still have options, the best option is to look to the draft. The team has too many holes on the roster to trade for a pricey quarterback. Fortunately, Las Vegas holds the No. 7 overall draft pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. That puts them in a prime position to select a quarterback or trade up.

If they fall in love with Alabama’s Bryce Young or Ohio State’s CJ Stroud, that will likely require them to trade up. They should be able to make that happen as the Chigaco Bears hold the No. 1 pick and likely won’t draft a quarterback and the Arizona Cardinals hold the No. 3 pick and almost certainly won’t look at quarterbacks. If the Raiders decide to go for a rookie, they have a lot of strong options this year.