The Las Vegas Raiders started their first offseason with Pete Carroll and John Spytek by making several major roster moves. They traded a third-round pick for quarterback Geno Smith, but days before, they extended their biggest star on a record-breaking deal.
Maxx Crosby, on March 5, signed a three-year extension worth $106.5 million, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. This title did not last long, however, as the Cleveland Browns topped it just days later with a $40 million per year extension for edge rusher Myles Garrett.
In the weeks that followed, several other players eclipsed this $35.5 million price tag as well. The Houston Texans gave edge rusher Danielle Hunter $35.6 million a year and the Cincinnati Bengals forked out $40.3 million per year for wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase.
Steelers' T.J. Watt contract makes Maxx Crosby look like a steal
On Thursday, the numbers kept crawling up, as ESPN's Adam Schefter confirmed that the Pittsburgh Steelers signed edge rusher T.J. Watt to a three-year extension worth $123 million. This clocks in at $41 million per year, which is somehow head and shoulders above what Crosby is making.
Raider Nation can only feel like Crosby, a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, is now a bargain at $35.5 million per year. While he may not have the sack numbers that the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year has, Crosby is a more well-rounded defensive end than Watt is.
This is the beauty of getting extensions done early. Teams can save themselves millions of dollars per year by getting out ahead of these contracts; otherwise, they are left with the constantly-inflating market dictating how much they should be paying their star players.
RELATED: Bleacher Report says what every Raiders fan already knows about Maxx Crosby
Fortunately for Las Vegas, they had a capable general manager in place this offseason for the first time in recent memory. Spytek is no stranger to locking up talented, homegrown players on long-term deals, and he brought that experience with him from Tampa Bay to the Raiders this year.
If the salary cap continues to climb each offseason, as it has almost every year for a decade, then the Silver and Black will be in great shape down the road. If they had waited to get a deal done with Crosby, it could have cost them near $45 million per year, but instead, they'll pay $35.5 million.
Crosby has been the cornerstone of the Raiders' defense, and truly, the entire team, since he was drafted back in 2019. The fan base has always counted their lucky stars for this great player, but now, they can thank the front office for getting him at a discounted price.