Breaking: The Raiders have shut down star defensive end Maxx Crosby. He has been told he will not play in Week 17 against the New York Giants. I can confirm Crosby left the team facility after being informed of the decision. The move lands with real weight, on the roster and across the fan base. It also puts a spotlight on the team’s priorities with one game left and draft position at stake.
What happened today
The Raiders informed Crosby he is out for Week 17. The decision is final for this game. The club chose to sit its Pro Bowl pass rusher, protect his long term health, and evaluate younger pieces in a late season window. Crosby exited the facility after the conversation. Emotions are real on days like this. He is the heartbeat of the defense, and he plays through pain as a rule.
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Crosby has built his name on relentlessness. He plays heavy snaps, chases from sideline to sideline, and sets the tone. Pulling him now is not about effort. It is about investment. The Raiders view Crosby as a franchise pillar. Preserving his body matters.
Why the Raiders made the call
Health and workload
This is the sensible part. Crosby has taken a pounding all season. He draws doubles, chips, and constant contact. The staff has seen the wear. Sitting him for one week limits risk. It also lets trainers get ahead of the offseason plan. There is nothing soft about this. It is maintenance for a player who never takes a play off.
Draft math and team strategy
There is also the board room piece. The Week 17 result influences draft slot. That reality hangs over every late season roster choice. Removing your best defensive player changes the game. The front office will never say this publicly. Coaches coach to win. Still, organizational thinking is layered. Protect the star, gather final tape on young players, and live with the outcome.
Resting a healthy star invites questions about competitive integrity. The line between smart planning and optics is thin.
What it means for Sunday
The ripple on the field is massive. Without Crosby, the Raiders lose their top disruptor. He sets edges in the run game. He collapses pockets on third down. He also draws protection calls that free others. That is gone.
Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham will turn to Malcolm Koonce and Tyree Wilson. Koonce brings burst and a hot motor. Wilson brings length and power. Expect more stunts and simulated pressure to manufacture heat. Interior push becomes critical, so the tackles must win early in the down. Coverage will feel the strain too. Corners like Jack Jones and Nate Hobbs must hold longer. That is a tall ask if the rush slows.
The Giants will adjust. Quicker game. Extra tight ends on the edge. More screens to test pursuit. The Raiders must tackle clean and get off blocks.
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Watch these keys on Sunday:
- Third down pressure rate without Crosby
- Edge run fits against gap schemes
- Tyree Wilson’s rush plan and counter moves
- Koonce’s snap-to-snap finish against chips
If the rush lags, look for Graham to heat up the slot with Hobbs or spin a safety late.
The locker room and the fan lens
Crosby is not just a star. He is the standard. He practices hard, plays hurt, and lifts the room. Removing him changes the emotional charge of the sideline. Players understand the business, but they also live the battle. The message has to be clear. This is protection, not surrender. Veterans will echo that, then play.
Fans will hate the optics. They buy tickets to see Maxx. They also want wins, even in Week 17. Yet they know the truth. Championships are built by keeping cornerstones healthy and stacking blue chip talent. Both things can be true at once. You can be frustrated today and still see the bigger picture.
Bottom line
The Raiders took the cautious, calculated route with their best defender. They protect Maxx Crosby, gather information on young edge rushers, and accept the heat that follows. On the field, the defense must reinvent itself for a week. Off it, the organization signals it is playing the long game. The Week 17 result will shape draft position. The decision also says something louder. Maxx Crosby is central to the future. You do not risk tomorrow for one Sunday in late December.
