While all indications are the Raiders are not in a rush to give Derek Carr a new deal — and no contract talks have occurred as of yet — they are making Pro Bowl pass rusher Maxx Crosby a priority. This is according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic.
This is a very wise approach by the Raiders’ new GM Dave Ziegler and new head coach Josh McDaniels. Crosby is entering his prime as one of the league’s premier pass rushers, he will be paid like one.
Raiders fans probably recall the last time the Raiders got a new head coach and the high profile pass rusher who was in line for an extension at that time. That new head coach, of course, was Jon Gruden, and the player was All Pro Khalil Mack.
No priority was placed on getting Mack locked up and the result was him sitting out offseason activities and the market going up in the meantime. Ultimately the team traded Mack for a couple of first-round picks, thus putting a lead weight on Gruden’s tenure as Raiders head coach before he had ever fielded a team.
That is not to say the situation with Crosby would ever get to that point, but it’s always better to make it very clear to your young star player that he is the highest priority. Not to mention, signing him earlier means they are less likely to see the market jump up beforehand due to other players getting deals first.
Tafur notes in his report, that Crosby likely won’t command top dollar in the NFL, which goes to the likes of multiple-time Pro Bowlers TJ Watt and Myles Garrett. but that Crosby will likely be in line for something north of $20 million per season. That would make put him among the top 5-6 highest paid edge rushers in the league.
Since it’s an extension, some of the total could be shifted to next year’s cap. And being that Crosby was a fourth-round pick, that would significantly spread out his cap hit on a per-season basis.
