The Las Vegas Raiders have entered organized team activities (OTAs) with renewed focus following a disappointing 4-13 season.
Star edge rusher Maxx Crosby, fully recovered from his ankle injury, delivered a powerful message about work ethic and leadership as the team began reshaping its identity for 2025.
Crosby Sets the Tone for New Raiders Roster
With the team returning to the facility for OTAs, Crosby made headlines not just for his return to the field but for the standard he’s setting. Speaking to KTNV’s Nick Walters, he emphasized the importance of effort and sacrifice as the key to separating elite teams from the rest of the league.
“The cream always rises to the top.”
A culture setter for the #Raiders, Maxx Crosby explains why he sets an example for teammates to ‘constantly push themselves.’
The star DE ‘feels like a little kid’ at OTAs 100% healthy, playing ‘without hesitation’ after ankle surgery. @KTNV pic.twitter.com/TUTh6vM72O
— Nick Walters (@nickwalt) May 27, 2025
“By Week 10, Week 12, everyone knows exactly what the hell you like to run. Everyone knows what plays you like to run, what scheme you’re running. It’s about who’s willing to really sacrifice and go to that length. And that’s why I feel like cream always rises to the top. It sounds cliché, but it’s real.”
Crosby himself embodies that philosophy. Despite suffering an ankle injury in Week 2 against the Ravens, he continued to play through pain until aggravating it in Week 14 against the Buccaneers. He eventually required surgery and missed the final five games. Now, at 27 and fresh off a $106.5 million extension, Crosby is expected to lead a revamped Raiders defense.
In his previous season, Crosby recorded 45 combined tackles (28 solo), 17 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks. Fully healthy, he returns as the face of the franchise’s defensive unit, determined to inspire a cultural shift.
On his podcast, The Rush, Crosby highlighted two standout performers from the first day of OTAs: rookie cornerback Darien Porter and wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr.
“These two dudes have stood out to me for sure: On defense, Darien Porter, big cornerback. I will say, this kid, he’s been a receiver his whole life. That’s the first thing. I’m like, ‘Okay, this kid’s played receiver. How can you even make that transition? You’ve got ball skills, and also, you’ve seen guys like Richard Sherman; it makes too much sense in Pete [Carroll’s] pedigree to bring in a guy like him.’”
Praising Porter’s athleticism and football IQ, Crosby said, “He’s 6-foot-3, rangy, and runs a 4.3. He’s like a gazelle out there, and he’s got ball skills.”
On offense, Crosby chose to highlight fourth-round pick Dont’e Thornton Jr. over more obvious choices like Ashton Jeanty.
“He reminds me of Martavis Bryant. He even looks like him. He’s tall, skinny, wears No. 10, he’s got the grills in, he’s got the dreads, the way he runs, the way he catches the ball, he reminds me of Martavis… this dude could be something serious.”
As OTAs continue, Crosby’s words and leadership serve as a rallying point for a team aiming to flip the script in 2025.
