All of a sudden, the Las Vegas Raiders are at a crossroads with superstar defensive end Maxx Crosby. His frustrations with the franchise's constant losing are well-documented, but the Raiders seem to have taken things a bridge too far when they told Crosby they were shutting him down for the year.
Now, it seems like his gripes are with the franchise itself.
Crosby reportedly left the building after this decision was made, which was both corroborated and supported by Pete Carroll. The veteran head coach made it abundantly clear that he was dealt this news, not that he was the decision-maker, which means that someone above him stepped in.
There was clearly a disconnect already between Carroll and John Spytek, but it feels disconcerting to know that Crosby may not be seeing eye-to-eye with the organization anymore, either. Losing is hard, and it certainly drives people apart. That may be what happens, or is already happening, in Las Vegas.
For years, those around the NFL have told Crosby that he is too good for the Raiders and that he would be wise to explore playing elsewhere. That fell on deaf ears. But although fans hoped that this day would never come, it seems like now is the time to have that conversation about Maxx Crosby.
Take a seat.
Raiders and fans find themselves in unenviable position with Maxx Crosby
First, it is important to understand why the Raiders are doing this. Simply put, you can't win in this league without a quarterback, and no worthwhile, game-changing signal-callers are ever available on the open market or via trade. That young star under center needs to come from the NFL Draft.
The Raiders are actually on the cusp of that happening, as they currently hold the No. 2 pick. But the 2-13 New York Giants, who own the top overall pick ahead of Week 17, and the Kansas City Chiefs, led by practice squad quarterback Chris Oladokun, stand in their way.
Las Vegas absolutely cannot risk winning these games, as the franchise has been stuck in no man's land for too many years. Bad enough to make things miserable for the fan base and miss the playoffs, but never bad enough to be at the very top of the draft board and select a prized quarterback.
By telling Crosby that they're putting him in bubble wrap for the rest of the campaign, they are telling him that he is essential to the team winning and that he is too valuable to risk his future for a win or two that would only be consequential if it screwed the Raiders out of a quarterback.
Crosby is a smart person, and he understands that the defense, especially in its current state, is not capable of carrying the load. The offense needs severe reinforcements, and the ripple effect of having a strong crew on the other side of the ball would only help Crosby and the defense.
More importantly, however, it would help the team win. That is what Crosby wants, right? He has gone on about this very desire over the years, but he seems to be having a hard time grasping the fact that a few losses here may actually lead to future wins. One step back to take two steps forward.
Fans certainly understand the pride aspect of things here, and it is hard to be upset about a player wanting to give his all to the team even when there is nothing on the line. But Brock Bowers and Jeremy Chinn, who were put on the shelf as well, seem to have taken things a bit differently.
Crosby's seeming refusal to have the organization's ultimate best interests in mind, however, is hard for Raider Nation to reconcile. He knew the media storm that his grand exit would cause, and whether he was thinking rationally or not, Crosby did make that decision. He can't undo it.
To be fair to Crosby, however, fans need to hear his side of the story. Although Carroll said these talks had been occurring for days prior, perhaps Crosby still needed more time to absorb the organization's final decision, which was apparently out of his hands.
His strong reaction may very well be the culmination of so much pent-up frustration from the season, and really, every season since he was drafted. The Raiders have exactly one winning season and one postseason appearance since Crosby's inaugural campaign in 2019.
Maybe there were extenuating circumstances, too, and Crosby had to leave the building for another reason. It is dangerous to make assumptions. But imagine wanting to do something that you love and being told that you can't. Wanting to be there for your brothers and not being given the opportunity.
In what has been a career full of heartbreaks, shortcomings and disappointments, the fan base can't really blame Crosby if he does end up wanting out. They can pick apart the way that he is currently going about things, however, and in a way, that is warranted.
On the one hand, Crosby is such a team-first guy and so intent on being there for his teammates that he wants to suit up in this late-season game with no playoff implications while he is incredibly banged up and nursing yet another nagging knee injury.
But on the other hand, he left the building and wasn't at practice for his teammates when he didn't get his way. By walking out, he is solely looking at what is best for himself and not prioritizing the franchise's wishes, and that is an interesting dichotomy to grapple with for Raiders fans.
It is a bit funny that, after all that Crosby and the team have been through since his selection on Day 3 of the 2019 NFL Draft, this was his breaking point. Being forced to sit out two games against the Giants and Chiefs. He was seemingly fine sitting out the final quarter of the 2024 campaign.
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While this begs the question of what is so different between these two circumstances, it also begs the much more poignant question, and the reason I have gathered you all here today: What do the Raiders do with Crosby? Is it finally time to cash in on his value and trade him for a mountain of picks?
At almost any other point in his tenure, that answer likely would have been no. But it seems like the fan base is warming to the idea that trading Crosby may be what is best for both sides. After all, it's not like Las Vegas is winning very much with him anyway, even if it hasn't been his fault at all.
Crosby absolutely deserves to be a part of the Silver and Black's success when they do eventually turn things around. But with every passing season, Crosby gets a bit older, and the franchise has gotten no closer to achieving its goal of fielding a competent and competitive team.
In a way, Crosby is the organization's golden ticket out of the mess that they find themselves in. I know that Crosby wants to put on the cape and be the superhero that Raider Nation so desperately wants him to be. He wants to be the reason that the franchise returns to greatness.
But players cannot do it by themselves, especially a defensive end on a unit devoid of much talent around him. Las Vegas could land a potentially franchise-altering haul for Crosby in a trade, and for the first time since he arrived, the organization has to at least seriously listen to offers.
The sentiment surrounding Crosby right now seems to be fairly negative. Ideally, he can mend the fences with the fan base and reach a mature conclusion with the Raiders, whether it be patching back together the relationship or trading him to a place that he wants to be with a team willing to pony up.
Hopefully, his time with the Silver and Black is not desecrated by the bitter end like it was for Davante Adams, Amari Cooper, Khalil Mack or Derek Carr. Crosby can be the superstar that was graciously traded and spurred the rebuild, which would be like jumping on the grenade for this lost organization.
There is nothing to be gained by not ending things amicably for either side. But Las Vegas also has to ask itself if Crosby needs to be a central part of this rebuild, or if he is the first true domino of it. He'll always be a legendary and revered figure; yet another in the illustrious history of this great franchise.
However, his magnum opus as a Raider may not actually be anything he does while wearing the Silver and Black. If Las Vegas does trade him, which is certainly a possibility at this point, and the team eventually turns things around without him, that would be, unironically, his biggest contribution.
His impressive and seemingly countless sacks and tackles for loss, his boisterous personality and his fierce commitment to a losing organization will always be admirable. But falling on the sword, getting traded and kickstarting this rebuild just might be his final and greatest, most impactful act.
It's not the one that Raiders fans wanted. They wanted to see Crosby hoist a Lombardi Trophy while wearing the Silver and Black. But this franchise has been so bad for so long that even Crosby understands the drastic measures this team and fan base would take to return to relevancy.
Sometimes, that means parting ways with a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro. Trading the heartbeat of the team and the pulse of Raider Nation. Rolling the dice. Taking a gamble. Not being afraid of failure. Taking that leap, being bold, and letting the chips fall where they may.
At the end of the day, nothing has worked in recent memory, so they have to keep innovating and trying new things. But more importantly, as Las Vegas searches for the right recipe and combination, it must also remember that this is the Raiders. Nothing and no one comes before The Shield.
Not even Crosby.