For the majority of NFL edge rushers, 7.5 sacks, 54 quarterback pressures and 17 tackles for loss would be a career year. But in light of what he has done in his career, that was actually considered a down season for Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby.
Part of that downturn for Crosby came from missing games for the first time in his career. He sat out the final four contests of last season after undergoing ankle surgery. But he still led the team in sacks, tackles for loss and quarterback hits, and despite missing five total contests, he did earn his fifth career Pro Bowl nod.
Last week at OTAs, Crosby made it clear that he is ready to leave last year's nagging injury behind him.
"It's amazing. I mean I feel like a little kid out there, you know what I mean? I miss it," Crosby said. "The rehab literally started in December, I literally didn't have an offseason, I've been here the whole time. It's been five months of hardcore training and rehabbing every single day, and sacrificing even more [to see] how can I go to an even higher level."
Maxx Crosby easily tabbed as candidate for a big bounce-back in 2025
Zoltan Buday of Pro Football Focus noted seven NFL veterans who are poised for a bounce-back in 2025. Crosby was one of the easier inclusions on that list.
"Between the 2021 and 2023 seasons, Crosby earned a PFF overall grade above 90.0 each year, consistently ranking among the top four edge defenders," Buday wrote. "Over those three years, his combined 93.1 overall grade ranked third at the position, trailing only Myles Garrett and Micah Parsons. His 18.6% pass-rush win rate and 15.9% pressure rate both ranked sixth."
While Crosby has certainly been considered in the upper-tier of edge rushers during his career, Buday acknowledged that last season was a bit of a down year.
"However, Crosby took a step back in 2024, posting a 74.3 overall grade, 25th among 119 qualifying edge defenders," Buday wrote. "His pass-rush win rate dropped to 12.6% (42nd), and his pressure rate declined to 13.4% (29th)."
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Buday is not ready to give up on Crosby yet, however, as he believes that the Raiders improvements this season will pay dividends for the six-year veteran.
"Still, at just 28 years old entering the 2025 season, there’s no reason to believe Crosby’s decline will continue," Buday wrote. "In fact, the improved offense, bolstered by the additions of Geno Smith and Ashton Jeanty, could create more favorable game scripts, putting Crosby in better positions to impact games defensively."
A top-25 overall PFF grade is something plenty of edge rushers would gladly take. A top-50 pass-rush win rate and a top-30 pressure rate would also be marks most edge rushers would be happy with. But his drop in overall production was more injury-related than anything else.
Crosby is going to be a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks this year if he can stay healthy. If the Raiders' offense can hold up its end and deliver the favorable game scripts Buday mentioned, then a big rebound campaign feels likely for one of the best edge rushers in the league.