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Maxx Crosby & Jackson Powers-Johnson of the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Las Vegas Raiders were operating under the assumption that defensive end Maxx Crosby wouldn’t be on the roster this season heading into free agency. Players and coaches had said their goodbyes, and Crosby was supposed to be a Baltimore Raven.
That was until the Ravens decided to back out of the trade before the new league year started. Crosby is now back in Las Vegas, and signs are pointing to him sticking with the team going forward.
That’s not something players on the roster will complain about. Crosby is one of the most respected players in the NFL, and his teammates love him. Though he’s still a young player, offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson has formed a close relationship with Crosby. He’s excited that Crosby is back in the building and doesn’t think there’ll be any awkwardness for him.
“Hard to lose him, but even better to get him back,” Powers-Johnson told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “It’s a guy who I train with every single day. He’s my guy, so to have him back in the building is a blessing for me.
“Maxx Crosby is Maxx Crosby. Vegas is made for him, and he’s a Raider. So it’s not like he comes back and it’s awkward. He comes in, he’s doing the same thing he’s done every single day. And there’s not one step lost.”
Jack Bech Happy to Have Crosby Back
Crosby has been the face of the Raiders for a few years now. He’s also been their biggest leader.
He has been very generous with his time and has often helped younger players. Second-year wide receiver Jack Bech has felt a lot of support from Crosby. He thinks having the star defensive end on the roster will help the whole team take a leap forward.
“Maxx has really taken me under his wing, going in every morning getting after it,” Bech said. “For us to be able to have somebody like Maxx in my corner being a mentor, the leader, the hard work, he is just teaching me so much.
“I’m ready personally to take a huge step and for the team to take a huge jump.”
JPJ & Bech Can’t Beat Crosby to Raiders’ Facility
The Raiders were happy to get two first-round picks coming in, but it’s important to have players like Crosby in the building. His work ethic is so intense that it rubs off on a lot of players.
Crosby is known for being at the Raiders’ facility at the earliest moments in the morning. This had led to players like Powers-Johnson and Bech trying to beat him to the facility, but they still fail.
“He gets me by 15 or 20 minutes,” Powers-Johnson said of Crosby.
“Unfortunately, same thing,” Bech said.
Crosby’s influence is strong on the Raiders’ roster. When the team’s best player, who is on a massive contract, is still putting in that kind of work, nobody else has an excuse. It remains to be seen if Crosby will actually be on the roster this season, but nobody is going to complain if he is.