Klint Kubiak's first foray into head coaching began with losing his team's best defensive player -- then getting him back.
The trade reversal by the Baltimore Ravens that returned pass rusher Maxx Crosby to the Las Vegas Raiders has been discussed at great length; Crosby recommitted to the club and general manager John Spytek views the end result as meant to be.
Speaking with NFL Senior National Columnist Judy Battista on Sunday at the Annual League Meeting, Kubiak reinforced the narrative that everything is copacetic, even likening Crosby to another big name in Las Vegas' loaded free-agent class.
"I think I've seen Maxx almost every day," Kubiak said. "He's in the building every day, he beats a lot of the coaches in there. A really impressive guy. Being a great player is really important to him. You can just tell by the way he shows up. I think John (Spytek) said this, but it's kind of like he never left. I felt like we picked up another free-agent signing once we got him back from Baltimore. Really excited about him leading our defense."
The first-year head coach also has no concerns over Crosby's recovery timeline from offseason surgery to repair his meniscus, a procedure that perhaps contributed to Baltimore balking at finalizing the trade due to medical reasons.
"I know there's gonna be a point in training camp where we're going to get him back," Kubiak said. "I'm not gonna get too much further into that. I think training camp, he'll be back ready to roll. With the way that he works, it wouldn't surprise me if he's ready earlier."
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Whenever Crosby does retake the field, he'll be surrounded by a transformed Raiders team.
Las Vegas owns the No. 1 pick in April's draft, a selection that could transform a franchise that has reached the playoffs only twice in 23 years and failed to do so under each of its last three coaches.
The Raiders also dumped money into free agency thinking Crosby's contract was off the books, spending the second most of any team, per Over the Cap.
They fortified the middle of their line by signing former Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum and the middle of their defense by inking off-ball linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker. Las Vegas also added another pass-catching weapon in wide receiver Jalen Nailor and traded with the Buffalo Bills for cornerback Taron Johnson.
"I just think the character of person that we brought in, starting with Linderbaum and Jalen Nailor and Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker, we've had a lot of really solid people come into our building that make us better," Kubiak said. "They're leaders, they're mature, they've been through it. They're great players. It all starts with having quality people that the young guys are gonna want to follow."
None are more worthy of being followed into the new Raiders era than Crosby, Kubiak's honorary cherry on top of his first free-agent class in Las Vegas.