Raiders keep star pass rusher Maxx Crosby on massive four-year deal

CINCINNATI, OHIO - JANUARY 15: Defensive ends Maxx Crosby #98 and Yannick Ngakoue #91 of the Las Vegas Raiders sack quarterback Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals during the third quarter of the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at Paul Brown Stadium on January 15, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JANUARY 15: Defensive ends Maxx Crosby #98 and Yannick Ngakoue #91 of the Las Vegas Raiders sack quarterback Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals during the third quarter of the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at Paul Brown Stadium on January 15, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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The Las Vegas Raiders just rewarded one of their up and coming stars, Maxx Crosby, with a contract extension. This was a very special time for them to settle on a new contract for Crosby in more ways than one. 

On March 11, 2022, the Las Vegas Raiders rewarded one of their up and coming stars, edge rusher Maxx Crosby with a four-year contract extension valued at $98 million dollars with $53 million in guarantees.

If anyone watched Crosby this season it was obvious that this was a contract extension he deserved. Crosby was always on the field, constantly disrupting the opposing offense, and playing with a relentless motor required all the attention of the opposition’s offensive line.

The Las Vegas Raiders drafted Maxx Crosby in the 2019 NFL Draft in the fourth round and he has already proved that he deserved to be picked in the first.

Since he started with the Raiders Crosby has logged 25 sacks, 92 solo tackles, and four forced fumbles. During the 2021 season Crosby led the league in pressures, totaling 100, which was more than Defensive Player of the Year TJ Watt and Super Bowl Champion Aaron Donald.

2021 was also special for Crosby as he achieved his first Pro Bowl selection and was chosen as a team captain. Crosby was never a captain, not in high school nor during his time in college at Eastern Michigan.

Crosby and his pass-rushing partner Yannick Ngakoue spent the season terrorizing offensive lines helping to earn the Raiders’ first playoff appearance since 2016.

Besides this being a special moment due to Crosby’s elite play as of March 11, 2022 (today) Crosby celebrated two years of sobriety. Crosby has stated in multiple interviews that he felt his alcohol consumption was excessive and knew if he wanted to accelerate his professional career he needed to stop altogether.

Before the extension was announced Crosby celebrated his two-year anniversary of sobriety revealing a tattoo on his hand of the date, 3-11-20. (Crosby also got a Raiders logo tattoo last year)

The Raiders have been missing a dynamic threat on the edge since the departure of now a Los Angeles Charger, Khalil Mack. The Raiders have made the right choice extending Crosby before he began the final year of his rookie contract and not letting Crosby hit the open market.

Crosby is as motivated as ever and it is all but certain he will earn every cent of that extension.  The “Condor” is staying put in Las Vegas.