Maxx Crosby raises eyebrows with response to a possible Raiders rebuild
By Austin Boyd
If the Las Vegas Raiders plan to undergo a rebuild, they're going to have to do it without Maxx Crosby. The veteran defensive end works about as hard as anybody in the NFL but has one playoff appearance to show for it.
With the Raiders trading Davante Adams, many have wondered if the team will tear down their roster and try a total rebuild. That's not something that Crosby supports.
“I’m not here to rebuild, I’m here to win,” Crosby told reporters recently. “So, you know, I don’t know. Whatever that means, but yeah I’m here to win now. And wherever I’m gonna be, I’m gonna here to win. So that’s all that matters to me.”
These comments have stirred a lot of speculation that Crosby might want out from the Raiders but I'm going to explain why that's a reach. First of all, if the Raiders are rebuilding, they are likely going to trade Crosby anyway. You can't really be rebuilding if you keep all your best older players.
Mark Davis has already made it clear that the Raiders aren't trading Crosby, which likely means they aren't embracing a full rebuild. Second, Crosby couldn't possibly ask for a trade right now. The team hired Antonio Pierce as the head coach in large part to keep the All-Pro happy.
If he decides to request a trade anyway, that would be a very bad look. Also, which two non-football athletes does Crosby idolize? Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. They both were very loyal to the franchises that drafted them.
I've also detailed why the Raiders going through a total rebuild would be a mistake. Things look grim right now but they could change quickly with a good offseason that features the team getting a young quarterback.
Now that Adams is gone, people are going to be left to speculate whether or not Crosby will get traded. It's not going to happen during this season.