Ed Graney: Minus Maxx Crosby, Raiders look as bad as ever

Ed Graney, Las Vegas Review-Journal on Dec 30, 2025

Published in Football

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LAS VEGAS — Raiders coach Pete Carroll wanted to make one thing clear: Maxx Crosby is a warrior. That he wanted to play. That he was heartbroken it didn’t fall that way.

They tried to get by without Crosby, and it, well, didn’t work out. The Raiders continued their journey to the 2026 No. 1 draft pick Sunday by losing to the similarly hapless Giants, 34-10, at Allegiant Stadium.

Crosby and his injured left knee didn’t play, the team having shut him down for the season by placing the star defensive end on injured reserve.

The news didn’t go over well with Crosby, who left the facility when informed of the decision Friday.

“It means so much to him,” Carroll said. “He was having a great season. He has been hobbling around for months just to get to games. He would have never taken himself out. I wouldn’t have taken myself out. We needed to protect him.

“I don’t blame Maxx one bit for being upset. It kind of breaks my heart that he didn’t have a chance at finishing the season.”

He might have made a difference Sunday, but not in the manner of changing the outcome. The Raiders — now a robust 2-14 and gliding along with a 10-game losing streak — again offered a mistake-filled effort in all three phases.

“It was a mess,” Carroll said.

About the future

They’re tanking without tanking. When you’re this bad a football team, sitting injured talents such as Crosby and tight end Brock Bowers (left knee) will only enhance the bottom line. And we know what that is for the Raiders.

It’s about the future. About gaining as high a draft pick as possible. About — and thank goodness some in the organization have finally bought into the concept — a complete rebuild.

In many ways, it all points back to a player such as Crosby.

The Raiders should discover what he is worth on the open market. They should at least float the idea of a trade and see what happens.

No one should be safe from the inquiries of others.

Not even the elite of the elite.

This is where things fall at the moment. This is how low things have sunk.

It doesn’t mean you have to trade Crosby. Not if offers would dip well below what you view his value, which would be significant.

But a haul of high draft picks wouldn’t be the worst thing at this point. Needs are everywhere.

And no one, especially the guy in charge, saw this coming.

“We didn’t win a game in the preseason and were fortunate to tie Seattle then,” Carroll said. “We just haven’t found a way to win. We (had) a tremendous (victory) right off the bat against New England and look at their team now. But (Bowers) got hurt in the fourth quarter there, and I don’t think we adapted well.

“I had no place in my mind for this. You just try and figure out a way to come back and see if you can play good football. I don’t doubt any of these guys, but that’s what we look like without (Crosby and Bowers) playing. Everybody tried. Everybody did everything they could. It just wasn’t enough.”

It hasn’t been for some time now.

Goodbye Geno?

We likely saw the last of Geno Smith as the Raiders’ quarterback. The veteran left in the fourth quarter with a high ankle sprain, and those are tough to come back from in a week. Only a game against visiting Kansas City remains. It’s doubtful he’ll play.

He didn’t work out as Carroll and others had hoped. Smith just didn’t play well all season. Not all his fault. The offensive line has again been injured and dreadful.

But they need someone new under center next season and, if all goes well with the draft, it might be the franchise quarterback this team has coveted for some time now.

The future. That’s all the Raiders really have left from this forgettable campaign.

They will, for the second straight season, finish without an injured Crosby. He isn’t happy, the team isn’t any good, and the No. 1 draft pick is very much in play.

Hey, there is a bright spot after all.