The Las Vegas Raiders extended star edge rusher Maxx Crosby this offseason on a record-breaking three-year, $106.5 million deal. That record lasted roughly a week before it was eclipsed, but it is still emblematic of how new general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll feel about him.
Crosby is yet to win a major NFL honor or earn his way onto the All-Pro First-Team thus far through six professional seasons. However, he has been a Second-Team All-Pro on two occasions, a runner-up for the Defensive Rookie of the Year and a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year twice.
Edge rushers like T.J. Watt, Nick Bosa and Myles Garrett, all of whom have won major awards since Crosby entered the league, have a knack for causing turnovers. This has been a case used against Crosby, as he has just nine forced fumbles and three recoveries since joining the league.
Maxx Crosby's training camp highlight shows Raiders' star is coming for major NFL award
To take the next step and firmly establish himself in the upper echelon to everyone outside of Raider Nation, Crosby needs to make these big plays. A forced fumble or a defensive touchdown could be the difference between winning the Defensive Player of the Year and finishing in third place.
Fortunately, it seems like Crosby already has his eyes on this through the first part of training camp. On Saturday, the Raiders held a mock game for the fans at Allegiant Stadium, and Crosby made an incredible strip sack on Aidan O'Connell before running roughly 70 yards for a score.
Strip six by the Condor 🦅#RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/yoanQwknMF
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) August 2, 2025
This is the kind of play that, most importantly, changes the outcome of games. Las Vegas was able to pull off an upset victory against the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in 2023 as a result of defensive havoc like this.
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But Crosby's big play is also a sign that he is putting a premium on making game-changing plays like this, and it could pay dividends when it comes time for the voters to select their Defensive Player of the Year.
While he cannot hit O'Connell in a scrimmage setting like this, the Crosby of old may have focused on hitting the quarterback as hard as he could instead of snatching the ball when it was presented to him. Coach Carroll and his staff have been emphasizing attacking the ball, and there it was in action.
With Malcolm Koonce back healthy, Adam Butler returning to the lineup and a handful of promising defensive tackles and linebackers that can rush the passer, Crosby should be able to produce in a major way for the Silver and Black. This could easily culminate in a Defensive Player of the Year campaign, but it will take plays like this to get there.