Klint Kubiak, Las Vegas Raiders
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(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak is filling out his coaching staff, and on Feb. 14, news emerged about whois expected to take the defensive coordinator role for the team next season.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the Raidersare set to hire defensive line coach and run game coordinator Rob Leonard as their new defensive coordinator. Leonard has been with the Silver and Black since 2023 and will now have the chance to mold the defense into his vision.
Moreover, with Crosby’s future in Las Vegas uncertain, Las Vegas has hired a coach with whom he works regularly. Rapoport also reported that one person told him, “The plot thickens” regarding what will happen with the veteran pass rusher.
Insider Drops Latest on Maxx Crosby’s Future With Raiders
So, what’s the latest on Crosby’s future with the Silver and Black? On Feb. 12, Rapoport shared the latest on Crosby and when a potential trade could happen, considering the Raiders star is coming off an injury that led to the team shutting him down at the end of last season.
“My understanding is this is something I discussed on Super Bowl Sunday, not a rumor, not an innuendo; he did have a meniscus repair, which, although relatively minor, is still measured in months, not weeks,”Rapoport said. “What that means is it’s hard to imagine a team trading for Maxx Crosby without him being fully healthy and able to pass a physical, which probably moves his timeline closer to the draft or maybe before the season.
“That means if the Las Vegas Raiders want to one, convince Maxx Crosby that he should be able to be back or two, do right by him, which certainly seems to make a lot of sense for Mark Davis to do right by one of their most loyal guys, they have plenty of time to milk and get as much draft capital as they possibly can. This is a rebuilding roster. Trading him makes sense. I just don’t know when or if that’s going to happen.”
With the NFL Scouting Combine a few days away, teams will certainly be talking to the Raiders to see whether Crosby is indeed avaliable and what will be the price needed to pay in a trade.
Maxx Crosby Saga Could Drag Out for Months
Moreover, Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network believes this saga could drag on for a while. As a result, for anyonewho’s tired of the speculation regarding Crosby, the whole saga is just getting started.
“The Raiders have to make their decision first about what they prefer to do, and then have conversations with Maxx Crosby to help potentially facilitate a trade in a way similar to what happened with Micah Parsons. This is a somewhat similar situation,”Garafolo said in a video posted on Feb. 12.
“I think it’s going to take a little bit of time before this plays out around the scouting combine, with some conversations closer to the league year. Then, perhaps leading up to the draft, this could be something we’re talking about at length for the next couple of weeks, if not months. Buckle up and sit tight.”