Although the Las Vegas Raiders (3-12) tumbled down the NFL Draft board this past Sunday, there was hope that a win could slightly increase team morale. The damage might be done, however. Defeating the equally-embattled Jacksonville Jaguars at home does not change the fact that the franchise is in disarray. Maxx Crosby is not at ease, as he watches the final weeks of another miserable campaign.
His latest NSFW remarks will have fans wondering if he will ever take the field for the Silver and Black again.
“Years of inconsistency, you know what I mean,” the star defensive end said on his podcast, “The Rush,” via @_terrence_R8er. “It's new coaches every other year and this and this and that and new teammates. There have been plenty of times where I have been like ‘damn, this {defensive line} is cold,' and I come back and every single one of them is gone…. There's a lot of things. It's tough bro.”
That does not sound like a man who is excited about returning to work next year. Crosby's venting session can be likened to the mental exhaustion Raider Nation feels after sitting through more organizational ineptitude. Has the two-time Second-Team All-Pro been beaten down beyond repair? Maybe the burden of undergoing season-ending ankle surgery is making him a bit irritable. Or, perhaps he is simply running out of patience.
It is important to remember that Maxx Crosby was an extremely vocal supporter of Antonio Pierce in the offseason. He even implied that he might force his way out of town if the Raiders opted to go in a different direction for the head coaching position. Despite the organization's many other flaws, the 27-year-old has to own his emphatic approach to the situation.
Can Raiders realistically keep their top player for the long run
Crosby is still thinking about the future, but the way he is addressing it will raise some concerns about his ongoing presence in Las Vegas. “I have no more guaranteed money,” he said. “There's a lot of different things. Obviously, there's going to be a lot of things that need to be talked about and I'm looking forward to those conversations. It's going to be awesome. I'm really looking forward to this offseason and the process.”
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While Crosby is expressing optimism about upcoming talks, it might be tough for the Raiders to commit to a massive contract extension. They are expected to select a quarterback in April's draft, which should reset their rebuild once again. Their competitive timetable could take a backseat to the player's development, making it risky to invest in a high-end talent. No one can deny the former fourth-round pick's value, however.
Even in a year where he has dealt with injury, Crosby had seven and a half sacks and 17 tackles for loss in 12 games. He is a menace on the team's D-Line. If the end is near, fans will miss his competitive fire and prodigious playmaking ability. And it sounds like they mean a lot to him as well.
“The Raider fans have been dope as f**k and I love them to death,” Maxx Crosby said. “The fans, truly since day one, embraced me…. The support has been like the coolest s**t ever.”
