Maxx Crosby's historic 3-year, $106.5 million Raiders contract will reshape market

The Las Vegas Raiders took steps to lock their best defender up for the next few years on Wednesday, signing defensive end Maxx Crosby to a three-year, $106.5 million contract, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The contract contains $91.5 million guaranteed, as well.

The deal is a landmark contract in the NFL, as it makes Crosby the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. It also cements the defensive end as the anchor of Las Vegas' defense for the next few years as the Raiders look to get back into contention.

But while Crosby's deal is historic in its own right, it's also going to have widespread ramifications across the sport.

Anytime you get a benchmark deal like this, it makes waves in both the short and medium term at similar spots. Now, you have a point from which to operate when crafting deals for players of similar skill levels. But Crosby's doesn't just set a benchmark, it sets a bar to clear.

Let's say you're Trey Hendrickson, who led the NFL with 17.5 sacks last year. You were already angling for a new contract, and now, you can point to Crosby's and say "I outperformed him, so I deserve even more money." Or, you're Micah Parsons, who might be the best, most well-rounded defensive player in the entire NFL. You look at Crosby's contract, his age, and his production and can say "I deserve more than that by a pretty sizable margin," and you wouldn't be wrong.

A deal this size doesn't just impact the direct landscape, though. It shifts the market for other positions as well. Players like JaMarr Chase, or Drake London who are likely to get big extensions sooner than later are going to see this deal and want to try and eclipse it, because, in their minds, they're more valuable than a defensive lineman or outside linebacker is.

This is the kind of deal that has the potential to profoundly reshape the NFL landscape across multiple teams and positions, as more top-tier players come up for new deals. They're inevitably going to want more money, to pass Crosby's mark, and teams' willingness (or unwillingness) to give it to them will lead to stars moving to new places.

It remains to be seen whether Crosby's contract will be an outlier, like Deshaun Watson's albatross of a fully-guaranteed contract, or if players will use it as a bargaining chip. Not every team in the NFL has the Raiders' cap space and need to splash cash on players.

But given the players who are going to be due for new deal in the next couple years, and the teams who will be paying them, Crosby has set a fascinating precedent for the next generation of non-quarterback star players.

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Maxx Crosby's historic 3-year, $106.5 million Raiders contract will reshape the NFL landscape

By Sam Westmoreland | Mar 5, 2025