Sources: Raiders redo contract to reward Crosby

Paul Gutierrez, ESPN Staff WriterMay 23, 2024, 09:53 PM ET
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HENDERSON, Nev. — The Las Vegas Raiders are giving three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby a $6 million raise for the upcoming season without adding any years to his contract, league sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday.

The Raiders are also moving $1.2 million from his 2026 salary into the 2025 season, sources said.

Crosby, a fourth-round draft pick of the Raiders in 2019 out of Eastern Michigan, has become the face of the franchise since signing a four-year extension with $95 million in new money and more than $53 million guaranteed on March 11, 2022.

Since then, he has racked up 27 of his 52 career sacks while twice finishing in the top six of NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting and being named a second-team All-Pro last season, when he had a career-best 14.5 sacks. Crosby was a second-team All-Pro selection after the 2021 season and Pro Bowl defensive MVP in 2022.

“I don’t know whether my rookie year seems like 20 years ago or two days ago,” Crosby said at the start of Las Vegas’ offseason workout program in April. “Like, it’s crazy to me.

“But yeah, it’s been a blessing. I mean, it’s been a damn journey, and for me, all that matters at the end of the day is winning, winning for this organization. I pour my heart and soul into this, and I want to be the best leader and teammate I can be on a daily basis, and being a Raider is something that’s special to me. I’ve got real relationships from the owner all the way down to the janitor. I’m here every day for a reason. It’s like a family. There’s not many teams that operate like we do, and we’ve just got to translate that to winning, and it’s just exciting to get things rolling again.”

Crosby, who turns 27 in August, was due to have base salaries of $19.01 million, $21.038 million and $21.038 million the next three seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

It is rare for a team to give a player a raise without adding any additional years to the contract. Crosby has been lauded for being a constant presence at the team facility for offseason workouts.

“By example, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., every day,” coach Antonio Pierce said at the owners meetings in March. “Every day [Crosby] shows up ready to work. So when you’ve got those kinds of guys in your building, either vocally or by example, you’ve got a good culture and a good place.”

Crosby also has served as an inspiration in going public with his battle for sobriety since spending part of the offseason following his rookie season in rehab.