Bear Digest

The Maxx Crosby effect: How his record deal impacts Bears’ free agency and 4 EDGE rushers who might get overpaid

Alan Goldsher|
With his record-breaking contract, Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby can afford more tattoos.
With his record-breaking contract, Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby can afford more tattoos. | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

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Chicago BearsLas Vegas Raiders

Maxx Crosby is very good at football.

Maxx Crosby is very very good at negotiating.

Last week, the All-World defensive end inked a whopping three-year, $106.5 million contract—$91.5 million of which is guaranteed—to remain a Las Vegas Raider. He’s now the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

And he’s earned it.

Resetting the Market

It could be argued that the 27-year-old Crosby isn’t even the NFL’s best DE—Myles Garrett darn well better be in that conversation—which means every quality EDGE in the league will be looking to get paid, thus the Chicago Bears might have problems signing a high-end free agent pass rusher…of which there are plenty.

Here are four who will likely cash in big, and thus owe Crosby a thank-you muffin basket. (All cap hits courtesy of Over the Cap.)

Joey Bosa

  • Current Age: 29
  • 2024 Cap Hit: $26,111,666

Should the Bears Kick the Tires?: It’s certainly worth considering. He’s only two years older than Crosby, he had a productive 2024 (5.0 sacks, just 2.5 behind Maxx), and he was healthy-ish last season, missing just three games, as opposed to the previous two campaigns, in which he played in 14 combined contests.

Dre’Mont Jones

  • Current Age: 28
  • 2024 Cap Hit: $10,770,415

Should the Bears Kick the Tires?: Nah. Jones' numbers took a nosedive between 2023 and 2024, as he posted 12 fewer solo tackles, 21 less combined tackles, and .5 fewer sacks.

He’s exactly the sort of player who, thanks to Crosby’s crazy salary, will take in more shekels than his numbers might suggest he deserves.

Josh Sweat

  • Current Age: 27
  • 2024 Cap Hit: $8,027,000

Should the Bears Kick the Tires? Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame and Gilberto Manzano guesstimate that Sweat’s market value clocks in around $72 million over four years, a relatively reasonable number as compared to Crosby’s, so it’s certainly worth a phone call.

Chase Young

  • Current Age: 25
  • 2024 Cap Hit: $9,088,000

Should the Bears Kick the Tires?: It’s impossible to predict injuries, but when a guy has missed 24 of 80 games in his career, one has to pause.

That said, Young's 2024 was his best statistical year since his award-laden 2020 rookie season, so somebody’s going to open the safe for the former number two overall pick.

That somebody shouldn’t be the Chicago Bears.

Published | Modified
Alan Goldsher
ALAN GOLDSHER

Alan Goldsher has written about sports for Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Apple, Playboy, NFL.com, and NBA.com, and he’s the creator of the Chicago Sports Stuff Substack. He’s the bestselling author of 15 books, and the founder/CEO of Gold Note Records. Alan lives in Chicago, where he writes, makes music, and consumes and creates way too much Bears content. You can visit him at http://www.AlanGoldsher.com and http://x.com/AlanGoldsher.

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