Silver Minings: PFF ranks Maxx Crosby as the 5th best pass rusher in the NFL

The Las Vegas Raiders defense finished the end of the year strong, led by edge rusher Maxx Crosby. Crosby has become one of the most feared football players for motor skills and talent, especially in the edge rusher position.

In 2023, Crosby finished with a career-high 14.5 sacks and had 52 during his five seasons. He is now matched with Christian Wilkins and could help create one of the best defensive lines in the NFL.

Recently, PFF.com dropped its edge rusher rankings heading into the season. Crosby ended up at number five behind TJ Watt, Micah Parsons, Nick Bosa, and Myles Garrett.

Crosby is often the first name mentioned outside of “The Big 4” above, but it really should be viewed as a “Big 5,” given how impactful Crosby has been for years. 2023 was his third straight year of earning an elite overall grade, and it was his first elite run-defense grade while maintaining a pass-rush win rate above 15.0% and notching 94 quarterback pressures.

Crosby is primarily ranked behind the “Big 4” because of his overall win rate. However, Bosa is the only player ranked in front of the Raiders leader on defense who played more than 800 defensive snaps. Crosby plays every play with his hair on fire, and advanced stats can’t always reflect the impact.

If the Raiders can find a way to win more games in 2024, Crosby can raise this list.

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