Las Vegas Raiders: 3 reasons Maxx Crosby should be named NFL Defensive Player of the Year
By Brad Weiss
Crosby has the Raiders defense playing at another level in 2023
In order for a player to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year, he has to have the players around him step up in a big way. Thanks to his leadership, and some terrible work by defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, the entire Raiders defense as a unit has become a big-time force in the NFL this season.
In fact, they finally have a top-10 ranked defense, and much of that success has to be credited towards teams doing everything they can to stay out of Crosby's way. Thanks to Madd Maxx lining up on one side of the line, Koonce, Deablo, and rookie Tyree Wilson have started to come around, and the Raiders pass rush is one of the more feared groups in the league.
Crosby also has helped in the development of the Raiders linebackers and defensive backs just by being on the field. Quarterbacks who play the Raiders know they have to get the ball out of their hands in a hurry, as Crosby is always finding a way to disrupt the play, whether or not he gets to the quarterback.
This has led to numerous Raiders defensive touchdowns this season, many of which can be credited due to the fact Crosby is chasing quarterbacks around all game long.