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The Las Vegas Raiders introduced their new coach on Tuesday, just two days after he helped the Seattle Seahawks hoist the Lombardi trophy as Super Bowl champions. Klint Kubiak had quite the season as Seattle’s offensive coordinator, but different challenges await him in Sin City.
Not only do the Raiders have a decision to make with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and a whopping $90-plus million to spend in free agency, but they have an important matter to take care of on the home front. There is considerable noise centered around the future of star pass rusher Maxx Crosby. Does he want out of Vegas, and could the Raiders consider trading him?
Kubiak was asked about Crosby during his introductory press conference, and he revealed that Crosby was actually the first player in the building working out on Tuesday. The coach was able to grab a cup of coffee and speak with him.
“We want him to be a part of our success going forward, theres no doubt about that,” Kubiak said. “He’s one of the best players in the NFL. That’s a no-brainer, to get to work with Maxx and see him continue to have success with this organization.”
Raiders hire Klint Kubiak: Seahawks OC lands Las Vegas job after Super Bowl win
Zachary Pereles
Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer believes Crosby’s time with the Raiders is over, while NFL Media reported recently that Crosby has not requested a trade, and is in a “great place” with the team. It was Glazer who initially reported that Crosby was not happy with the franchise’s decision to shut him down for the season in December due to a knee injury to the point where it was going to cause the five-time Pro Bowler to reevaluate his future with the organization.
Crosby completed interviews with the media during Super Bowl week while wearing Raiders gear and has previously presented himself as loyal to the franchise that selected him in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Eastern Michigan. But Kubiak is the sixth different head coach Crosby has had to meet in his seven NFL seasons. The Raiders have put together just one winning season during Crosby’s time with the franchise, so maybe he’s ready for a change of scenery. It’s up to Kubiak to sell him on his vision for the future, and that he’s the coach to get the Raiders on the right track.
If Crosby were to be traded, it would be a blockbuster deal that resembles the Micah Parsons trade the NFL world witnessed last offseason. Since entering the league, Crosby has recorded the most tackles for loss (133), the fifth-most QB hits (164) and sixth-most sacks (69.5) while playing the most snaps among all defensive linemen (6,112).