Insider Casts Doubt on Maxx Crosby's Future with the Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders' front office's decision to sit star defensive end Maxx Crosby for the final two games of the season could go down as one of the single-most consequential decisions in franchise history. The move signified a decision to prepare for the future, regardless of Crosby's feelings.

As the team's leader and a well-known competitor, Crosby did not take well to this, as he felt he was healthy enough to play. However, sitting Crosby was undoubtedly the most responsible move for the team and the player. Still, Crosby was reportedly unhappy with the decision and left the facility.

Crosby's Future

The Raiders have finally accepted the fact that they are in a rebuild. After years of instability at head coach and quarterback, Las Vegas appears ready to build things over the long haul. However, Crosby has already spent many years in the league and simply does not have the time for a rebuild.

Crosby has accomplished many things while with the Raiders. Many things except winning games. As he nears the later years in his career, and after tons of wear and tear on his body that runs at a high level all game, every game, Las Vegas and Crosby are on two different timelines.

Jay Glazer of FOX Sports recently noted that he believes Crosby's time with the Raiders is nearing an end. After how the end of the regular season went between the star defensive end and the front office, for the first time in his career, leaving is a legitimate possibility for Crosby, according to Glazer.

“I do. So the day it [shutting down Crosby] happened, no less than 20 teams called me, and asked, ‘Is this real. Can we get him?'” Glazer said. “There’s a couple guys. They tell you they’re playing, they’re playing.”

On SI beat reporter Hondo Carpenter has said for weeks on the Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast that there was an excellent opportunity for the Raiders to have more draft picks, and this is what he was alluding to. Carpenter is expected to discuss it more in Thursday's podcast.

Crosby is a generational player who deserves the right to play for a contender after years of carrying the Raiders on his back each week. He has been the most consistent player on the roster in recent memory. Still, trading him could be a win-win for the Raiders and Crosby. He deserves to win.

Shortly after the regular season ended, Raiders General Manager John Spytek elaborated on the state of Crosby's relationship with the front office. Considering where Crosby is in his career and the Raiders' rebuild, both sides could benefit from moving on. The National Football League is a business.

"I have a lot of respect for Maxx [Crosby] and how much he loves to play the game, and I've had the opportunity in the last several weeks to spend a lot of time with Maxx, and I think it's been well documented that he didn't love the idea of not playing football, and I think you always want that from your best players,” Spytek said.

“In fact, I think that's why they're your best players. So, I love Maxx; he embodies what a Raider is. I've been pretty upfront with that from the day that I sat up here almost a year ago, and I continue to believe that."

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