At this point, Maxx Crosby's become something of a Raiders' bellwether.
When they decided to hire GM John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll, both talked about how the Raiders' rebuild wasn't something that was going to take a handful of years. In their introductory press conference, both made a point to be clear that this was a turnaround they expected to happen in a year or two. That's the power of Sam Darnold!
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And while that's all well and good, as the cliche goes, actions speak louder than words. That's where Crosby comes in – it stands to reason that, if they really are serious about a quick turnaround, Crosby's spot on the Raiders' roster is safe. He's been a major point of trade speculation since the season ended, and if the Raiders were going to blow it up, sending him to Detroit or Green Bay or Washington would make sense as an opening move.
Fortunately for Raiders fans, it doesn't sound like that's happening. At least, I think that's what it sounds like? Spytek was talking to reporters today from the NFL Combine in Indy and was asked about Crosby's future in Vegas. His answer was mostly GM-Speak nonsense, but there's a kernel of info in there if you squint hard enough.
John Spytek gives a very confusing quote about Maxx Crosby's future with the Raiders
"Raiders GM John Spytek wouldn't commit to signing DE Maxx Crosby to an extension this offseason," he said on Tuesday morning. "But said he plans to ensure he's with the franchise for the long haul."
"Wouldn't commit to signing" is a scary way to start a Tweet – my guess is purposefully so – but Crosby's firmly under contract this season, so it's not totally surprising to see Spytek not fall over himself to get Crosby a new one just yet. That being said, it's the last year of any guaranteed money for Crosby, and he's talked this offseason about how getting a new deal done is important to him.
The second part is way more reassuring. Obviously he'll be a part of the franchise for the long haul until the moment it's not convenient for them anymore, but that doesn't sound like a quote from someone who's actively planning to move him this offseason. So we'll file this one in the Cautious Optimism bin and go back to watching Darnold tape.