Not Saquon Barkley or Ja’Marr Chase: this is the NFL’s top paid player that is not a quarterback
There are some major deals going down as teams look to keep their top free agents after the end of the franchise tag deadline. The Raiders have their guy.
There is some big money being thrown around the NFL as the free agent period starts around the league. We are used to seeing quarterbacks ink massive deals, but on Wednesday it was a defensive end that struck a record setting deal with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Raising the bar for all pass rushers
Maxx Crosby had two years left on his deal, but signed a three-year, $106.5 million contract extension with the Raiders with $91.5 million of guaranteed money. The deal will keep him on the Vegas Strip until the 2029 season.
Crosby is one of the most feared, most dominant defensive ends in the league and Las Vegas bet on their pass rusher to lead them into the next era of the franchise by making him the highest paid non-quarterback in the league.
Last year Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow and Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence both signed deals worth $55 million a year on average. Dak Prescott topped that by signing a four year deal paying $60 million this season. While quarterbacks have been and always will be the highest paid player, defensive ends around the league are licking their lips at this new benchmark set by Vegas and Crosby.
Crosby chasing championships
“I told him last night, ‘This is not for what you’ve done, but for what you’re about to do,’” said general manager John Spytek on Wednesday. “He’s chasing championships, and so are we.”
The Raiders are coming off a dreadful season in which their offense was largely ineffective, but Crosby had 7.5 sacks and 45 tackles in just 12 games. Las Vegas finished the year 4-13 and have the sixth pick in this year’s NFL Draft.
🚨 PETE CARROLL NAMED RAIDERS HEAD COACH ON THREE-YEAR DEAL
— João Neves (@jon_snow_pt) January 24, 2025
Pete Carroll and the Raiders have agreed to a three-year contract with a fourth-year team option, according to @AdamSchefter.
The veteran coach brings experience and success to Las Vegas.#RaidersNation #PeteCarroll… pic.twitter.com/VQiaT7wbbh
It’s a new dawn on the Vegas strip. They signed a Super Bowl winning coach Pete Carroll to start a new chapter at Allegiant Stadium. Chip Kelly is heading to the desert to be the offensive coordinator and Crosby was talking about the possibility of bringing in newly liberated QB Aaron Rodgers to town. There is a turning of the tides in Sin City, and Crosby is going to be at the forefront of the new look Raiders.
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