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Maxx Crosby

Raiders Place DE Maxx Crosby, RB Sincere McCormick On IR

December 18th, 2024 at 8:03pm CST by Ely Allen

The Raiders opened up two roster spots today after placing defensive end Maxx Crosby and running back Sincere McCormick on injured reserve, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. They filled one 53-man roster spot by signing defensive end Andre Carter II off of the Vikings’ practice squad. The other was filled with the promotion of practice squad running back Chris Collier to the active roster.

The Crosby move is no surprise after reports that he would undergo season-ending surgery on his ankle. Carter won’t likely add much on defense for the Raiders, but his addition adds much-needed depth along a beleaguered defensive line.

The loss of McCormick hurts a team that has struggled mightily in the run game this year. The Raiders currently rank dead last in the NFL in rushing offense.

After going undrafted out of UTSA in 2022, McCormick finally made his NFL debut this season and earned two starts in place of an injured Alexander Mattison, even remaining the starter last week when Mattison returned. He earned his first start after rushing for 64 yards on 12 carries in Week 12, a total Mattison had only reached once all season and that Zamir White failed to reach in any of his starts. McCormick followed that up with a 78-yard rushing performance in his first NFL start the next week.

With McCormick out, Mattison should retake starting duties with Ameer Abdullah continuing in his backup role. Collier will add depth behind those two and sixth-round New Hampshire rookie Dylan Laube.

In addition to all the active roster updates, Las Vegas signed defensive end Ovie Oghoufo and running back Isaiah Spiller to the practice squad.

Raiders DE Maxx Crosby To Undergo Season-Ending Ankle Surgery

December 14th, 2024 at 5:15pm CST by Ely Allen

It was already becoming known that the Raiders would be without star defensive end Maxx Crosby for this Monday’s game against the Falcons. Crosby, who missed the first game of his career earlier this year, is now reportedly set to miss the four remaining games of the 2024 season, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Crosby missed the first game of his career in Week 4 because of an ankle injury he had suffered two weeks earlier, and he’s appeared on the team’s injury report in all but three weeks since because of it. After disappearing from the injury report in the last three weeks, Crosby reappeared on the report this week, not participating in any practices. The lack of availability in practice this week led the team to list him as “out” for the weekend, and now reports are determining that he could miss the remainder of the year because of his ankle, as well.

After sitting out this weekend, Crosby is scheduled to meet with foot and ankle specialist Dr. Rob Anderson. On Monday, they will determine just how much damage Crosby’s ankle sustained in Week 2, although the three-time Pro Bowler acknowledged in a Saturday social media post surgery will be required. With that being the case, he will be set to undergo arthroscopic surgery. Some doctors believe that the extent of the injury could be worse than initially thought and require two procedures, a determination that will be made based on what the arthroscopic surgery shows.

At a miserable 2-11, the Raiders have long been eliminated from playoff contention. In fact, tied with the Giants for the worst record in the NFL, Las Vegas is in contention to land the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft. With little left to play for in 2024, it makes for the Raiders to shut Crosby down and get his physical rehabilitation started. His 2024 season is over, and his focus will now shift to making it back for 2025.

With the Raiders struggling through the season early, a number of teams reached out with trade interest for Crosby. Team owner Mark Davis made it excessively clear that he had no plans to trade his star defender before or after the trade deadline. After a rough season, Davis and company will likely have to continue batting away trade offers from teams looking for pass rushing help.

With Crosby likely to join Malcolm Koonce on injured reserve, the Raiders will need to turn to backups like Charles Snowden, K’Lavon Chaisson, and Tyree Wilson to start at defensive end. Snowden was arrested earlier this week for driving under the influence, so it will be interesting to see how Las Vegas deals with that situation.

Trade Notes: Lions, Ojulari, Browning, Raiders, Neal

November 3rd, 2024 at 10:38pm CST by Adam La Rose

A report from Sunday afternoon indicated the Lions are close to completing a trade for Za’Darius Smith. The veteran Browns edge rusher has long been linked to Detroit, a team which has been on the lookout for help in that area since losing Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport to major injuries.

Of course, the Lions have explored other options as well. Their process of seeking out suitable targets has included interest in Maxx Crosby, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports. To no surprise, though, the Lions have been told Crosby is unavailable. Raiders owner Mark Davis has made it clear on multiple occasions the three-time Pro Bowler will not be dealt, recently adding that sentiment also applies beyond this year’s deadline.

Detroit could show interest in the likes of Jadeveon Clowney and/or Chase Young, and the Titans’ Arden Key is the most recent name to emerge as a potential target. The members of that group would likely no longer be on the Lions’ radar provided a Smith agreement came to fruition, but they could be in play if that does not turn out to be the case. Detroit’s willingness to aim big by inquiring about Crosby is another indication of the team’s intention of making another deep playoff run in 2024.

Here are some more trade-related notes from around the league:

  • Neither Darius Slayton nor Azeez Ojulari are believed to have been the subject of any Giants extension talks, pointing further in the direction of one or both being traded. After New York’s Week 9 loss, Ojulari confirmed to Ryan Novozinsky of NJ.com no talks have taken place on the contract front. While that has made him the trade target of multiple teams, the 24-year-old said he prefers to remain with the Giants. Slayton has similarly made public his desire to stay in place despite the team’s 2-7 record, although he has been the subject of trade speculation on multiple occasions over the years. Ojulari could offer a notable rental boost to many teams, but it remains to be seen if the Giants will entertain offers including minimal draft capital.
  • The Broncos sit at 5-4 on the year after Sunday’s loss. The team might not adopt a firm buyer’s or seller’s stance in advance of the trade deadline, but that could still result in a move being made. Edge rusher Baron Browning has previously been floated as a trade candidate, and his name continues to be mentioned in rumors. Both Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk report the 25-year-old is a name to watch over the coming days. Browning, who is nearing the end of his rookie contract, wants to remain in Denver, although he recently acknowledged an extension does not seem to be around the corner.
  • Crosby is off limits, but the Raiders could be open to selling off at other positions with a 2-7 record. Jakobi Meyers is among the receivers who could still be on the move, and plenty of teams who have yet to add in the pass-catching department could be active before the deadline. With that said, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal writes the Raiders are not actively shopping Meyers or any other players. SI’s Albert Breer corroborates that, adding Crosby is set to remain in place. The team will, of course, take calls from potential suitors while looking ahead to at least one QB addition ahead of 2025. Adding draft capital could aid Vegas’ attempts to acquire a franchise passer.
  • Evan Neal‘s time with the Giants so far has – to put it lightly – not gone according to plan. The 2022 No. 7 pick has found himself out of the starting lineup at guard and tackle, although with injuries up front that could change somewhat soon. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes Neal is a “nonstarter” on the trade front from New York’s perspective. That comes as little surprise since the Alabama product’s value in a swap would fall well short of the capital invested in him two years ago. Neal is attached to his rookie contract through 2025, leaving him some runway to bounce back from his earlier struggles in time for free agency.

Raiders’ Maxx Crosby Plans Do Not Include Deadline Trade Or Post-2024 Deal

October 27th, 2024 at 9:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

If the Raiders do end up moving Maxx Crosby before this year’s deadline, it would presumably take a staggering offer. Mark Davis has doubled down on his previous Crosby stance.

The longtime owner had said earlier this month a Crosby trade before this year’s Nov. 5 deadline would not happen. Now, the Las Vegas boss has expanded his commitment to the Pro Bowl defensive end by indicating in an email to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter no Crosby trade will take place “before or after the deadline!!!”

It is difficult to craft a stronger denial. As was the case earlier this month, a Crosby trade soon would surprise. It is more interesting, then, to read Davis’ post-2024 stance on the NFL’s current TFL kingpin. The Raiders have Crosby signed through the 2026 season, on a contract he has outplayed, and it is clear they view him as a building-block player rather than one who could boost the franchise’s draft arsenal ahead of a pre-draft process that will again feature extensive QB rumors involving the AFC West franchise.

The top Raiders move from Jon Gruden‘s second stint, Crosby signed his four-year, $94MM deal during Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler‘s brief stay in charge. That duo also extended Gruden-era pickups Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller; both are now out of football. Crosby, however, has continued to produce despite the Raiders taking steps back since their decision to pass on removing Rich Bisaccia‘s interim HC tag.

Crosby led the charge to see Antonio Pierce become the NFL’s first interim HC to jump to a full-time post with a team in seven years, threatening a trade request if Davis did not scrap a coaching search to give Pierce the job. Pierce has not thus far established himself in the full-time role, with the Raiders starting 2-5 and toggling between quarterbacks before Aidan O’Connell‘s recent injury. Crosby, 27, then said he did not want to be part of a rebuild. These comments came months after the former fourth-round pick said he wanted to be a one-team player.

A 2025 Crosby trade would cost the Raiders less in dead money (barely $10MM), as the guarantees in the standout edge rusher’s contract will have been paid out following this season. After Crosby led the NFL in tackles for loss in 2022 and ’23, doing so despite the Raiders’ Chandler Jones plans fizzling, the now-Tom Telesco-run team gave its top player a $7.2MM raise ($6MM in 2024, $1.2MM in 2025). Based on Davis’ comments this weekend, it would appear likely Telesco will need to enter extension talks in 2025.

Davis’ emphatic refusal to trade Crosby now or in the offseason will only strengthen the Pro Bowler’s extension case. Crosby’s $23.5MM AAV ranks ninth among edges and trails the NFL’s defender-contract kingpin (Nick Bosa) by $10.5MM. Next year could end up a transformative offseason on this market, with T.J. Watt entering a contract year and Myles Garrett — a player the Browns are not open to trading — having played five seasons on his current deal. Micah Parsons will also enter a contract year in 2025.

While Crosby technically has two years remaining on his deal, the Raiders’ refusal to discuss him in trades will provide Brian Burns-like leverage when it comes time to negotiate a third contract. Burns angled for contract terms his production did not exactly warrant, as the Panthers infamously turned down a two-first-rounder proposal from the Rams and then kept him out of the Bryce Young trade months later. These decisions affected their talks with Burns, who then secured a top-three EDGE contract from the Giants. Like Burns and the Panthers, the Raiders have now kept Crosby out of trades at two straight deadlines.

For now, Crosby will continue toiling for a rebuilding team. The Raiders wanting him to be part of their next set of contending rosters will require a monster payday.

Maxx Crosby Addresses Raiders Trade Speculation

October 17th, 2024 at 9:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

In the wake of the Davante Adams trade, questions have understandably been raised about the future of Maxx Crosby. The Raiders’ best player is not on the market, but his latest remarks on the possibility of a swap are far less conclusive than those of owner Mark Davis.

“I’m not here to rebuild, I’m here to win,” the three-time Pro Bowler said when speaking about his future (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). “So, you know, I don’t know. Whatever that means, but yeah I’m here to win now. And wherever I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be here to win. So that’s all that matters to me.”

The decision to move on from Adams is a rather clear indication of Vegas’ intent regarding a run to the playoffs or beyond in 2024. With Gardner Minshew being replaced atop the quarterback depth chart by Aidan O’Connell, uncertainty looms over that position for the balance of the season as well as 2025. The Raiders represent a logical suitor for an aggressive quarterback pursuit this offseason, but even with an upgrade under center the team would have other hurdles to clear to attain contender status.

Crosby and the Raiders agreed to a restructure this offseason which upped his earnings for this season and next. His contract – which ranks ninth amongst edge rushers in terms of average annual value – runs through 2026. As a result, the matter of “wherever” he plays in the future will not be in doubt provided the Raiders turn aside the inevitable trade interest they will receive in the coming weeks. Of course, a number of teams would provide the 27-year-old with a better chance at contending than the 2-4 Raiders this season.

Crosby said in June he intends to remain in Vegas for the entirety of his career. His monster extension certainly sets up that possibility, and remaining healthy should allow him to continue proving high-end production. The Eastern Michigan product is on track for a fourth double-digit sack campaign in his six-year career. That will in all likelihood make him a centerpiece of the Raiders for years to come, but his comments note the potential for a change of scenery being possible.

Raiders Not Open To Maxx Crosby Trade

October 16th, 2024 at 9:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Antonio Pierce‘s early stretch as the Raiders’ full-time HC is going worse than his interim period began. The team is 2-4 and has lost one-sided matchups to the Broncos and Steelers in successive weeks. Pierce has benched Gardner Minshew, and the Raiders signed off on their long-rumored Davante Adams trade Tuesday.

Teams will undoubtedly be checking in to see if the Raiders are interesting in selling other pieces. One player who will not be available: Maxx Crosby. Although Las Vegas is struggling, Crosby represents a foundational piece and would be on track for an extension — potentially as soon as 2025.

“It’s unfortunate today, but there’s so much outside chatter that is not true,” Davis said, via The Athletic’s Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed (subscription required). “It’s not coming from any sources. It’s not coming from anything. My basic thing is never to answer all that stuff because, otherwise, you get trapped in this black hole. It’s just not happening.”

Easily the best move from the second Jon Gruden era, the Raiders chose Crosby in the 2019 fourth round. The Eastern Michigan product has been a revelation, leading the NFL in tackles for loss in 2022 and ’23. The Raiders extended their standout edge rusher in 2022, and their decision to authorize what amounted to a $6MM raise this offseason effectively points to a longer-term commitment — as opposed to a player the team would consider dealing before the deadline. Crosby also received a $1.2MM bump for 2025; his four-year, $98.98MM contract runs through 2026.

Crosby came up in trade rumors before last year’s deadline as well; teams called to gauge the Silver and Black’s interest in moving their best player. Despite another slow start, Las Vegas is prepared to pass. Crosby, 27, is leading the NFL in TFLs this season as well. He has tallied nine, with 5.5 sacks to go along with that impressive total.

The Raiders have shuffled through Crosby complementary pieces, sending out Yannick Ngakoue after one season and cutting Chandler Jones following a series of strange developments surrounding the 2022 free agency addition. Would-be starter Malcolm Koonce is out for the season. A top-10 pick in 2023, Tyree Wilson has started one game this season and has yet to record a sack or a tackle for loss. Yet, Crosby continues to produce. With Adams now gone, there is no question who the Raiders’ top player is. And the team intends to maintain this beyond 2024. Crosby is interested in a full-career Raiders run, having said as much this summer.

Teams calling about Raiders could look to Josh McDaniels-era pickup Jakobi Meyers, who is signed through 2025, and contract-year DBs Nate Hobbs and Tre’von Moehrig. With McDaniels and Dave Ziegler still in charge last year, the team rebuffed the 49ers’ interest in Hobbs. But the established cornerback being unsigned beyond 2021 will naturally invite interest from coverage-needy clubs. A team in need of a backup or an emergency starter could also call on Minshew, who is signed through 2025 but has $3.16MM in guaranteed salary (as part of an $11.84MM base, since the team has pivoted to Aidan O’Connell already.

Maxx Crosby Hopes To Finish Career With Raiders

June 15th, 2024 at 8:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

Maxx Crosby is on the books through 2026, and the Raiders’ recent actions suggest a desire to keep him in place for years to come. That sentiment is matched by the star edge rusher.

Vegas accelerated $6MM of Crosby’s compensation for 2024, adding $1.5MM in salary for the following season as well. He is set to carry big-money cap hits for each of the final three years of his contract as things stand, and it would come as no surprise if an extension were to be worked out down the road. That would allow the 26-year-old to meet his goal of remaining with the organization through the rest of his career.

“The guys who inspire me are the Kobe [Bryants] and the [Michael] Jordans; the guys that stayed at the same place and won in the same place,” Crosby said during an appearance on The Jim Rome Show (video link). “No offense to the guys like LeBron [James] and those dudes – I won’t give them some heat, but they took the easier road traveled and that’s not the way I look at it.

“So, I plan on being here for a very long time and I plan on winning here. You know when I signed that contract, I didn’t have any type of, you know, thought of leaving or idea of leaving. I feel like I’m going to be a Raider for life.”

Crosby signed a four-year, $94MM pact in 2022 and he ranks ninth in the league in terms of annual average value amongst edge rushers. He has proven to be a sound investment for Vegas so far, racking up 27 sacks across the past two seasons. He has led the league in tackles for loss (22, 23) both times as well and he remains on track to serve as the focal point of the Raiders’ defense for the foreseeable future. He was floated as a trade candidate in the event Antonio Pierce was not named head coach, but with the interim tag being removed this offseason that is now a moot point.

The three-time Pro Bowler should manage to move into third in franchise history with respect to sacks if he remains healthy in 2024. The top spot belongs to Greg Townsend with 107.5, so Crosby (52) has a long way to go in that regard. Townsend also holds the top spot for games played (174), but if Crosby has his way he could threaten that mark by staying in place for the duration of his NFL tenure.

Raiders Rework Maxx Crosby’s Contract

May 23rd, 2024 at 8:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Raiders are rewarding their top defender. Having Maxx Crosby under contract through the 2026 season, the Raiders will still take a step to increase the Pro Bowl edge rusher’s near-future earnings.

An additional $6MM on Crosby’s deal will be moved into 2024, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. Crosby was set to make $19MM in base salary — an amount that is fully guaranteed — this season. The team also moved $1.2MM in Crosby money for the 2025 season. None of Crosby’s 2025 salary ($21MM) was to be guaranteed.

No new years will be added to the deal, per Schefter, though the Raiders are attempting to express interest in keeping Crosby beyond his current contract. The team rebuffed trade interest in Crosby before the 2023 deadline. Some of Crosby’s 2026 money is likely being shifted, and it would stand to reason the Raiders will be interested in extending their standout edge defender before that 2026 season begins.

When Crosby signed his four-year, $94MM extension, he was coming off seven- and eight-sack seasons. Although Crosby broke through with 30 QB hits to help the Raiders to the playoffs in 2021, the Eastern Michigan alum has since topped his career-high in sacks twice while on his second contract. Crosby totaled 12.5 sacks in 2022 and 14.5 last season. In both years, the Jon Gruden-era draftee led the NFL in tackles for loss — 22 in 2022, 23 in 2023.

This marks an interesting decision due to the personnel running the Raiders presently. Although Gruden and former GM Mike Mayock drafted Crosby, the consistent pressure producer signed his extension early during the Josh McDaniels–Dave Ziegler pairing’s tenure. GM Tom Telesco will authorize this adjustment, signaling he and HC Antonio Pierce are interested — naturally, as Crosby has proven one of the best draft picks in recent NFL history — in keeping the sixth-year veteran around beyond this $23.5MM-per-year deal.

The Gruden-Mayock period produced a handful of poor draft decisions, but Crosby was unquestionably the best move to come out of that stretch. Crosby also memorably provided key support for Pierce’s bid to become the Raiders’ full-time HC. A mid-January report pegged Crosby as ready to explore a trade request if the Raiders did not remove Pierce’s interim tag. Mark Davis, who regretted not making this move for Rich Bisaccia in 2022, soon named Pierce the full-time HC; Pierce is the first NFL interim leader since Doug Marrone in 2017 to move into a full-time HC role.

The Raiders used free agency (Chandler Jones) and the first round (Tyree Wilson) to equip Crosby with a better supporting cast post-Yannick Ngakoue. After trading Ngakoue, Las Vegas saw the Jones signing backfire in spectacular fashion. Wilson did not make many contributions as a rookie, though 2021 third-rounder Malcolm Koonce did emerge as an intriguing option opposite Crosby. For the most part, however, the Raiders’ defense has relied on Crosby to generate pressure since the Ngakoue trade. They paid up for Christian Wilkins, signing off on a $28MM-per-year deal (with $57.5MM fully guaranteed) in March. Wilkins’ guarantee at signing more than doubled Crosby’s ($26.5MM).

Teams do not regularly authorize extensions for players who have three contract years remaining, so this represents a half-measure of sorts. Since Crosby’s deal came to pass in March 2022, a host of edge rusher extensions have dropped the Raiders’ top gun to ninth at the position. Crosby, whose 97 QB hits since 2021 trail only Nick Bosa‘s count (115), will see some more money after performing well in the first two years of his extension.

Injury Updates: Raiders, Gilmore, Williams

January 20th, 2024 at 2:29pm CST by Ely Allen

Maxx Crosby, who was already a two-time Pro Bowler and a second-team All-Pro selection within his first four years as a pass rusher for the Raiders, surprised nobody by putting up another career year in 2023. What’s even more impressive about this year’s Pro Bowl season and second-team All-Pro selection is that Crosby accomplished both feats while dealing with a knee injury for most of the season, per Grant Gordon of NFL.com.

This week, Crosby posted a picture of himself following a successful procedure on his left knee. The procedure was reportedly meant clean up an issue with his bursa that Crosby had been dealing with since Week 2 of the 2023 season. That’s not all. The 26-year-old also said recently that he will require thumb surgery. All of this information makes career-highs in tackles (90), sacks (14.5), and tackles for a loss (a league-leading 23) this season all the more impressive.

Elsewhere in Vegas, running back Josh Jacobs saw his own injury information made public earlier this month. After leading the league in rushing yards in 2022, Jacobs’ disappointing 2023 campaign came to an unceremonious end four weeks early, as the 25-year-old missed the final four games of the season with injury.

According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Jacobs had “been dealing with two deep bone contusions that…restricted his range of motion, preventing him from being cleared by the team medical staff.” Pelissero relays that the issues did not result in any structural damage and that Jacobs should be fully healthy heading into free agency this offseason.

Here are a few other injury updates from around the NFL, starting with an update out of northeast Texas:

  • Before Super Wild Card weekend, Cowboys veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore found out that he had suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder. An injury like that is certainly grounds for season-ending surgery that late in the season. Gilmore, though, made the conscious decision to delay surgery, toughing it out for what he hoped would be the second Super Bowl run of his career, per Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News. Gilmore wore a shoulder harness and played 100 percent of the defensive snaps for Dallas in their loss to the Packers. He would’ve done that three more times, if given the opportunity. With the Cowboys’ season now officially ended, Gilmore said that he expected surgery soon, giving him plenty of time to be ready to play in 2024, wherever that may be for the pending free agent.
  • Lastly, the Rams saw rookie sensation Kyren Williams suffer a hand injury in last weekend’s loss to the Lions. The running back out of Notre Dame finished the regular season behind only Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry in rushing yards but was forced to exit his team’s playoff game with a broken bone in his hand, according to Rams senior staff writer Stu Jackson. Williams underwent successful surgery on Tuesday of this week and should have plenty of time to recover for his sophomore campaign.

Raiders’ Maxx Crosby To “Explore Trade Request” If Antonio Pierce Isn’t Named HC

January 13th, 2024 at 10:07pm CST by Ben Levine

While Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is believed to be “at or near the top” of the Raiders’ list of head coaching candidates, interim head coach Antonio Pierce continues to receive support from many in the organization. In fact, one of the team’s stars is even threatening a trade request if Pierce doesn’t earn the full-time job. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport, edge rusher Maxx Crosby is expected to “explore a trade request” if Pierce isn’t promoted.

While many of Crosby’s teammates don’t have the sway to make a similar demand, the locker room is “publicly united” behind their interim head coach. The players believe Pierce has earned the opportunity to “continue building upon the culture and energy he built in Las Vegas this season.” After taking over for Josh McDaniels, Pierce helped guide the Raiders to a 5-4 record to end the 2023 campaign.

Raiders players have continually been supportive of their interim head coach ever since he’s taken over. Wideout Davante Adams told reporters that he’d “run through a wall” for his coach, and Crosby has been vocal about Pierce’s role in rebuilding the Raiders’ culture.

“It’s legendary,” Crosby said recently (via Schefter). “When you have the right culture, a guy like A.P. that embraces the history of the Raiders, it’s special. … A ton of legends [visit] consistently because the amount of respect they have for him. So it makes you, as a player, want to go out there and show who you are. You know what I mean? You want to be at that level one day.”

A Crosby trade request would obviously present a major story line heading into the offseason. The former fourth-round pick has turned into a star during his five seasons with the organization, culminating in a career season in 2023. Crosby earned second-team All-Pro honors this past year after finishing with 14.5 sacks, 31 QB hits, and a league-leading 23 tackles for loss. The pass-rusher is attached to a four-year, nearly $100MM contract that he signed with the Raiders in 2022.

This internal support for Pierce has led some sources to believe that the interim HC is a shoo-in to earn the full-time gig. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Pierce is the “leading candidate” for the job, with one source saying they’d be “blown away if Antonio weren’t the pick.” NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo adds that owner Mark Davis has been impressed by Pierce’s ability to galvanize the squad.

Assuming the Raiders are serious about retaining Pierce, they’ll want to make a decision sooner than later. Per Josina Anderson, Pierce is set to meet with the Titans today about their head coaching job. After this news broke, Crosby was quick to tweet “#HireAP.”

However, there’s also a clear Harbaugh camp within the Raiders organization, an indication that the job could ultimately come down to the two candidates. For what it’s worth, the Raiders have yet to conduct any interviews for the job, and the organization is expected to hire a GM before moving on to their coaching vacancy.

However, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports points out that the organization should be wary of painting this as a two-horse race. If coaches believe Pierce or Harbaugh will ultimately be the choice, the Raiders may have a tough time getting these candidates in the building for interviews. Mark Maske of the Washington Post points out that the Raiders will still need to comply with the NFL’s minority interviewing requirements, which would require Davis and co. to “conduct in-person interviews with at least two minority candidates from outside the organization.”

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