Being a fan of the Las Vegas Raiders is never the easiest. The franchise has had two winning seasons since 2002 and every time things begin to start looking up, they come crashing back down. Despite being a franchise that has not had any success in that span, talent has been able to wear the silver and black.

Over the years, the fans have gotten the pleasure to say hello to premiere players, but the stints with the Raiders were short lived. We can go back and forth all day long about how people feel about Derek Carr, but for me as a fan he was the best quarterback they’ve had since Rich Gannon. Josh Jacobs was a workhorse and with the team unwilling to pay him, he’s enjoying winning football. Defensively, Khalil Mack might’ve been one of the more dominant Raiders. In 2015, be became the first player to be named first team all-pro at two different positions.

As much as we’ve missed him and his dominance, Maxx Crosby has taken that mantle. The fourth round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft has been everything you could ask for in a defensive end. He is the heartbeat of the team and the defense. Despite being a franchise that’s on the downswing of things, he gives you a reason to watch them. However, his future with the organization could be in limbo, given his honest transparency about things and how he truthfully feels.

No Direction Organizationally

It isn’t just Crosby. Fans want this team to have a direction and figure out the plan. Each time the organization takes steps forward, they take even more backwards. In a year where the Raiders weren’t supposed to make the playoffs (2021), they did and even gave the Cincinnati Bengals a run for their money. Instead of building upon that, they spiraled out of control and have had now three losing seasons. Mark Davis hiring Josh McDaniels was one of the worst decisions and it set the franchise backwards and the coaching carousel has gotten out of control.

It is truly impossible to build something special when you constantly are switching coaches. When you do that, the entire staff changes including the coordinators. That means you have to learn an entire new system and that’s frustrating for a player. In Crosby’s tenure with the Raiders, he has had three head coaches and if you count Rich Bissacia (interim head coach 2021), that’s four. That’s a lot in such a short span of time. Crosby did not mince words when talking about the turnover.

“Years of inconsistency. New coaches every other year. New teammates. And there’s been plenty of times where I’m like, “damn, like, this D line is cold,” and then I come back and every single one of them is gone,” Crosby said. “It’s like, ‘What the f***?'”

That’s not including the players gone. On top of Carr and Jacobs mentioned above, the club also traded disgruntled wide receiver Davante Adams. Adams was brought in to help take the Raiders further and instead it’s been a downward spiral. Players are tired of losing and so is Crosby.

Crosby Wants to Win

So organizationally there has yet to be a direction. The Raiders seem to be in yet another rebuild and Crosby is taking notes of that. Also, he seems to be taking a page out of the Myles Garrett playbook, who also seems to have this same type of frustration.

Between Garrett and Crosby, they’ve been two of the best defensive players in football. Since 2020, Garrett is second in sacks (70) and Crosby is seventh (49.5). Both are the heartbeat of their defenses and their teams and both are tired of losing. Both just want to know the organizations direction.

Crosby reiterated that he doesn’t want to rebuild and he wants to win now. He wants to see a plan and a direction for the franchise. Telesco and Co. have a lot of work to do this offseason and have a boatload of cap space to get things done. But proof is in the pudding. Speaking of money, Crosby has nothing left in his contract.

“I have no more guaranteed money,” Crosby said. “Obviously there’s gonna be a lot of things that need to be talked about. And I’m looking forward to those conversations. I’m really looking forward to this off season and the process.”

If there was ever a moment to pour your soul into one person, it’s Crosby. He is a player that has a motor that doesn’t slow down. He doesn’t take plays off and if he does you question “okay what’s going on?”.

If there wasn’t already pressure on the Raiders, there certainly is now and it regards their most important player. This does not mean he is gone, but the pressure is on the Raiders front office. He’s carried this team on his back and now the Raiders need to put their best foot forward and put a winning team around him.

Once A Raider, Always A Raider

Let’s hope it doesn’t come down to him leaving. I’ve always said, do not be shocked if he ever wants out of this losing continues. Well the time has come and that ship has begun sailing.

Crosby loves being a Raider and the fans absolutely love and adore that man. Raider Nation is thankful for him and what he does on and off the field. But, reality is we can all understand where he’s coming from. Between the money on the contract and the direction of the franchise, this is a very important conversation the front office will have with a player and the blueprint for a plan better be good.

If the end is near, as is always; Once a Raider, Always a Raider.