The Raiders made arguably the largest free agent splash signing in the NFL when they inked defensive tackle Christian Wilkins to a four-year deal.
Part of the reason for all of the fuss was, of course, Wilkins and his elite talent. Another reason league observers couldn’t stop talking about the signing was Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby.
Wilkins and Crosby are seemingly a match made in heaven along the defensive front, as Crosby patrols the edge and Wilkins is a beast up the middle. Crosby told reporters on Monday that he and Wilkins have to hit the practice field before their potential can turn into results.
“Potential is one thing. Action is another,” Crosby said from the Raiders practice facility. “For us, it’s about the work. We have a ton of work to do. Me and Christian haven’t played a single snap together. We haven’t done a single rep together.”
Crosby mentioned that he’s known Wilkins for a long time and admired his game from afar. They were in the same draft class and have a mutual friend in former Raiders DE Clelin Ferrell, who attended Clemson with Wilkins.
“I’ve said it many times. Christian is a great player,” Crosby said. “I think everything happens for a reason, and I’m fired up to get to work with him. He was here today and had a ton of energy, fired up and ready to go. I know that energy is infectious and that’s something that I try to bring; that’s something he tries to bring. We just want to try to bring everybody with us because at the end of the day, you win and lose games in the trenches. If you have a dominant D-line and O-line, you’re going to be in every single game.
“We’re banking on that. We take a lot of pride in that. And we’re looking forward to being the engine and the generator for this team.”
Crosby and Wilkins are both known for their infectious energy, as Crosby mentions. Most importantly for the Raiders, they carry that energy to the field. Each player was among the league leaders for snaps played among defensive linemen, with Crosby sitting at No. 1.
That will help Crosby, Wilkins, and the entire defense build that group’s spectacular close to the 2023 campaign. The mission for coach Antonio Pierce and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham is to build on last season’s success. It’s good for them that Crosby, an unquestioned team leader, knows that talent alone won’t get it done.
