![Maxx Crosby]()
The Las Vegas Raiders had a solid top of the draft in late April, retained the players' desired head coach in Antonio Pierce, and made waves in free agency by
landing ex-Dolphins star Christian Wilkins on a defensive line that's already headlined by the elite Maxx Crosby. Additionally, Las Vegas
rewarded Crosby with a $6 million raise in reworking his contract.
However, with no better quarterback option on the roster beyond journeyman fringe starter Gardner Minshew and second-year Day 3 draftee Aidan O'Connell, the Raiders have their work cut out to contend in a loaded AFC. Never mind their own AFC West division, which features the
two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, the Jim Harbaugh-led Chargers, and a Sean Payton-coached Broncos team who went 9-8 last season and added 12th overall pick Bo Nix as their new franchise QB hopeful..
None of those factors are causing Crosby to waver from his fervent commitment to the Silver and Black. In an interview with Jim Rome, Crosby commented on how he idolized Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan growing up.
Strays were sprayed toward other stars like LeBron James — despite Crosby saying "no offense" — for leaving their original team to chase rings.
https://twitter.com/jimrome/status/1799195881293361340
If you ask me, LeBron's initial exit from Cleveland made the NBA and all of sports far more exciting, drove competition, and only helped explode the free-agent market because of how much more mobile players were open to being. Crosby is entitled to his opinion, and I admire him for his loyalty to the organization that drafted him. That said, at what point does loyalty become unhealthy?
You can stay in a toxic relationship for years and wear it as a badge of honor if you want to. Not saying the Raiders are a toxic franchise — although they haven't won much of anything in a long time, and were for sure toxic last year amid
Josh McDaniels' latest reign of terror.
The point is, loyalty is good in principle in many facets of life; bad in practice on occasion. Do you really think Damian Lillard regrets leaving the Trail Blazers? Look at what a mess Portland was with him, and how dire their situation is without him. Dame couldn't get to Giannis and the Bucks fast enough. Milwaukee didn't win the championship this year in part because Dame and Giannis were hurt in the playoffs.
Not to say fleeing for another team always works out, but just look at the most prime recent examples in the NFL. Matthew Stafford put in a dozen years of service with the Lions for very minimal on-field returns.
He goes to the Rams and wins a Super Bowl right away — thanks in part to one of the most iconic throws of all-time.
https://twitter.com/MattFitz_gerald/status/1785017332659839102
Meanwhile, the Lions retool their roster, revive Jared Goff's career, and
should've been playing in the Super Bowl this past postseason.
How about Mecole Hardman? He pulled an extremely condensed version of LeBron's return to Cleveland. He won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs, signed with the Jets in free agency, got the hell out of there when it turned sour amid Aaron Rodgers' blown-out Achilles, came back to Kansas City, and
caught the winning TD in overtime of The Big Game.
IDK about all this, Maxx Crosby. Sure seems like a change of scenery works wonders for some people. The Raiders will only go as far as their quarterback can carry them. Crosby's impact can only make so much of a difference.
I'm excited to watch him play alongside Wilkins and to see what this defense looks like with Pierce fully in charge. It's just that, well...ugh. I'll put good vibes into the universe that, within the next year or two, Las Vegas finds a QB who can at least come somewhat close to competing with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert.
If that doesn't happen, Crosby may very well change his tune on staying a Raider for his NFL life...
https://twitter.com/jimrome/status/1799199656221806837
