The pass rush-hungry Atlanta Falcons have one fewer option than once anticipated.
The Las Vegas Raiders signed defensive end Maxx Crosby to a three-year, $106.5 million contract extension, the team announced Wednesday. Crosby is now the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.
Crosby, who led the NFL in tackles for loss in 2022 and 2023, has made four consecutive Pro Bowls and has twice finished in the top six in AP Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Had he been available via trade, Crosby would’ve ranked as perhaps the top option for improving Atlanta’s pass rush, which ranked second to last in the league with 31 sacks in 2024. The financials and trade capital required to make such a deal would’ve been a tall task for the Falcons to meet, however.
But Crosby’s new contract has other significance to Atlanta: it raises the financial space and value for edge rushers, which figures to filter throughout the free agent class and/or into contract extensions for star defenders such as the Cleveland Browns’ Myles Garrett, the Dallas Cowboys’ Micah Cowboys and the Cincinnati Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson.
As such, the Falcons’ best bet for adding impact pieces to their pass rush appears to be the 2025 NFL draft, where a variety of options are expected to be available when Atlanta is on the clock at No. 15 overall.
Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said before the NFL combine that the 2025 draft class is deep with talented pass rushers.
"Super deep on the defense," Fontenot said. "This is loaded defensively. When I say best player available for us, we're talking about not reaching for needs, not reaching for -- you want to take impact players off the board, and so you want to make sure you do that.
"But very, very excited about this year's draft, and what we'll be able to do at 15 or whatever pick that is."
Crosby, while an unrealistic target, leaves Atlanta with one less fish in the pond -- and the ripple effect of his contract may eliminate sever others.
