One of the storylines heading into training camp for the Las Vegas Raiders was how Maxx Crosby would look after his rollercoaster offseason. Toward the end of the 2025 campaign, the Silver and Black shut Crosby down after his torn meniscus in his left knee.
Crosby would have offseason surgery, but that was the start of the rollercoaster ride. The Raiders would trade the veteran pass rusher to the Baltimore Ravens for two first-round picks. However, that trade would fall through due to a failed physical.
As a result, Crosby would return to Las Vegas. Following the trade of Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams, there’s been speculation about the Raiders star’s future, but nothing serious so far.
Nonetheless, with training camp underway, the Silver and Black received an update on how Crosby is looking in practice from CBS Sports NFL analyst Bryant McFadden, who was at the team’s facilities.
“Maxx Crosby is healthy,” McFadden said in a July 29 video from CBS Sports. “He’s energized. He’s fired up. It feels like the whole trade debacle between the Ravens and the Raiders has given Maxx Crosby a newfound sense of motivation to show the entire NFL that he’s still one of those special pass rushers and a terror on the defensive side of the ball.
“Watching him today, it was kind of confusing to think back to some of the things that were being said about his injury because he’s moving around like he’s in Year 2 of his professional career.”
Maxx Crosby Sets Tone for Raiders’ Defense in Training Camp
Moreover, McFadden stated that Crosby isn’t looking to motivate himself; he’s looking to prove to the entire league that there’s no issue with his knee anymore, but the veteran is setting the tone for the rest of the team.
“He is a tone-setter,” McFadden added. “Everything starts and stops with Maxx Crosby. He gets everyone going. With him at his best and looking at some of the new additions they’ve made at the second level, including the off-ball linebacker position and in the secondary, this defense should be much improved as well.”
Last season with the Raiders, Crosby played 935 total snaps on defense, leading to a 79.7 overall PFF defensive grade. The veteran pass rusher generated 53 total pressures, 10 sacks, 31 hurries, 12 QB hits, and a forced fumble. Meanwhile, against the run, he recorded 46 solo tackles.
Keyron Crawford on Having Maxx Crosby as Mentor
One of the players on the Raiders defense who will be looking to feed off of the energy that Crosby is providing to start training camp is rookie pass rusher Keyron Crawford. In June, while speaking with Vegas Sports Today, Crawford shared what it’s like to have Crosby as a mentor.
“He’s definitely one of the guys who reached out the most, just being able to be a leader and be that guy,” Crawford said in the June 28 video from Vegas Sports Today. “I’ve watched him a couple of times, and the way he moves and talks to everybody is always the same.
“He’s definitely one of the best people in that facility, but he’s also like a big brother. It’s always good to get information, but also to learn the game from the little things I ask him. It’s been very helpful being able to see it all now, putting it together and continuing to learn.”
Raiders Issued Major Maxx Crosby Update Amid Training Camp