Maxx Crosby considered a bounce-back candidate for 2025

For most edge rushers, the season Maxx Crosby had in 2024 would be considered a great season, if not a career year.

However, his seven and a half sacks were the lowest of the five-time Pro Bowler’s career since 2020 and, despite still leading the Las Vegas Raiders in that category, he never looked like the impact player Raiders fans were used to seeing. Most of Crosby’s down year can be attributed to nagging ankle injuries, leading to the pass rusher missing games for the first time in his career and ultimately ending his season prematurely. Now fully healthy, Crosby is hoping to shake off the rust and put last season firmly in the rearview mirror.

“It’s amazing. I mean I feel like a little kid out there, you know what I mean? I miss it,” Crosby said last week during OTAs. “The rehab literally started in December, I literally didn’t have an offseason, I’ve been here the whole time. It’s been five months of hardcore training and rehabbing every single day, and sacrificing even more [to see] how can I go to an even higher level.”

Crosby is one of the easiest bounce-backs to predict for the 2025 season.

According to Pro Football Focus’ Zoltan Buday, Crosby is one of the veterans most expected to bounce back from a down season.

“Between the 2021 and 2023 seasons, Crosby earned a PFF overall grade above 90.0 each year, consistently ranking among the top four edge defenders. Over those three years, his combined 93.1 overall grade ranked third at the position, trailing only Myles Garrett and Micah Parsons. His 18.6% pass-rush win rate and 15.9% pressure rate both ranked sixth,” Buday explained.

“However, Crosby took a step back in 2024, posting a 74.3 overall grade, 25th among 119 qualifying edge defenders. His pass-rush win rate dropped to 12.6% (42nd), and his pressure rate declined to 13.4% (29th).”

Despite the decline, Buday expects that Crosby could easily return to elite form, for reasons both in and out of his control.

“Still, at just 28 years old entering the 2025 season, there’s no reason to believe Crosby’s decline will continue. In fact, the Raiders’ improved offense, bolstered by the additions of Geno Smith and Ashton Jeanty, could create more favorable game scripts, putting Crosby in better positions to impact games defensively,” Buday continued.

A healthy Crosby, with less pressure on him to produce and being allowed to pin his ears back and relentlessly rush the quarterback, would be a terrifying sight for the rest of the NFL.