Maxx Crosby has been a one-man band for the Las Vegas Raiders for far too long. No matter how much the Silver and Black have invested in a suitable running mate over the years who can get after the quarterback opposite Crosby, they've got very little return, and often, close to none.
So, the Raiders made more significant changes to the defensive end room this offseason. After signing Kwity Paye to a big-money deal in free agency and re-signing Malcolm Koonce, Las Vegas dished Tyree Wilson to the New Orleans Saints and stunningly cut Charles Snowden.
Oh, and they spent a third-round pick on Auburn's Keyron Crawford during the 2026 NFL Draft.
Whereas Crosby is etched in as a starter, the rest of the pecking order is far from settled. The bottom of the room should be no real threat to Crawford's playing time, as only UDFA Cian Slone stands out as a sleeper to make the 53-man team. It is wide open, then, for Crawford to crash the depth chart.
Keyron Crawford could shake up Las Vegas Raiders' DE depth chart with strong camp showing
Of course, Crawford will need a strong training camp to prove that he belongs not just in the rotation but as a prominent part of it. Yes, money talks in the NFL, and the Raiders spent a lot of cash on the tandem of Paye and Koonce, who figure to siphon Crawford's snaps at this point in time.
That said, neither of those players really showed out during the 2025 NFL season. Your tape is your résumé, and Paye notched just a 10.7% pass-rush win rate with the Indianapolis Colts last year, which was 45th among 62 edge rushers with over 300 snaps. Paye recorded 4.0 sacks, which isn't a lot.
Koonce was at a 14.4% pass-rush win rate last season, which, to be fair, was identical to Maxx Crosby's as the 23rd-best among the aforementioned 62. However, Crosby faced astronomically more double teams than him. And Koonce only managed 4.5 sacks, so he still has to get the job done.
The hope, though, is that Koonce is fully recovered from a 2024 injury now, but time will tell. Simply put, neither Paye nor Koonce has done enough recently to solidify that they are the Nos. 2 or 3 guy alongside or behind Crosby heading into the year.
Enter Crawford, who has great physical traits and boundless potential after a few good years at Arkansas State and improvement in his two years at Auburn. His 5.0 sacks as a senior won't jump off the page to anyone, but his 18.3% pass-rush win rate should. That is an elite mark.
And while Paye and Koonce are both good run defenders, too, which surely factors into the equation, so is Crawford. Although he somehow hasn't been talked about much as a third-rounder, Crawford truly has the ability to be standing next to Crosby in the starting lineup come Week 1.
It is impossible to evaluate linemen during OTAs and mandatory minicamp without full pads and contact allowed. That's why training camp will be so important for Crawford, and the youngster better be ready to show out. This is his big opportunity.
In an ideal world, the financial investments made in both Paye and Koonce have a high ROI. But it wouldn't be the worst thing, either, to have a young player ascending earlier than most expect. At the very least, let's hope Crawford is not an insignificant part of the rotation or a mere special teamer.
Learning from veterans is one thing, but trial by fire is always good for youngsters. They need that "Welcome to the NFL moment." Hopefully, Crawford takes full advantage of training camp and earns this right of passage sooner rather than later.
Add us as a preferred source on Google