How Raiders' Maxx Crosby's Contract is Team-Friendly

Las Vegas Raiders star defensive end Maxx Crosby is not only the best player on the Raiders, but he is the best defensive player in the National Football League. Crosby has been the best defensive player for the last few years and he is only getting better year after year. And that is why the Silver and Black gave Crosby a huge contract extension this offseason.

Crosby, since day one, was meant to be a Raider. Crosby sets the standard for the team and his a great leader both on and off the field. Next season, he will look to have a bounce-back season for the team after being injured for most of last season. Crosby is looking to bring a winning culture to the Raiders and will need to get help from his teammates to do that, starting in 2025.

At the time when the Raiders gave Crosby his extension, he became the highest non-quarterback paid player in NFL history. That is how much the new regime of head coach Pete Carroll and John Spytek thinks of Crosby. He is the heartbeat of the Raiders, and he is here to stay.

Dan Graziano of ESPN broke down Crosby's contract and says he took a Team-Friendly deal.

The deal: Three years, $106.5 million with $62.5 million guaranteed at signing and $91.5 million in total guarantees

"Crosby had two years left on his previous contract when he and the Raiders agreed on a new deal this past spring. The new deal effectively extended his contract through 2029 but also made some alterations to the final two years of his previous deal.

"His previous extension (signed in the spring of 2024) included $23.118 million in salary and bonuses for 2025 and $19.722 million in salary and bonuses for 2026, none of which was guaranteed. The new deal guarantees him $32.5 million in 2025 and $30 million in 2026. So it's a nice raise and improved security over what he signed the year before."

"There are two ways to look at this. Crosby is now scheduled to make $149.34 million over the next five years -- an average of $29.868 million, which would rank him fifth among edge rushers. But if you take just the new money -- the $106.5 million -- and divide it by the three new years, that's an average of $35.5 million per year, which ranks him third behind only Myles Garrett and Danielle Hunter."

"Crosby is only 27 years old. And given his production (59.5 sacks over six seasons), he probably could have squeezed the Raiders for more. He loves being a Raider and has said he wanted to structure his deal to help the organization manage its cap around him. That's to the team's benefit, which is why this qualifies as a team-friendly deal."

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