CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin isn’t going easy on Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels. Ahead of the 2023 NFL season, Benjamin recently issued his head coaching rankings, and McDaniels was at the bottom. Maxx Crosby doesn’t have that issue, though.
While McDaniels has a lot to prove before analysts show him respect as a head coach, Maxx Crosby finds himself on the opposite end of rankings. Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar released his top-11 NFL pass rushers, and Crosby cracked the top-five. The Raiders star only has a couple of players to hop over before claiming the title as the league’s best pass rusher.
CBS Sports puts Raiders’ Josh McDaniels at the bottom of the head coach ranking
Benjamin recently released his rankings for the top NFL coaches, and the results aren’t too kind to McDaniels. After a disappointing first year with the Silver and Black, Benjamin has little expectations of the 47-year-old.
McDaniels found himself in the No. 30 spot on the list after finishing the 2022 season 6-11.
Only two head coaches have a worse ranking than the former New England Patriots’ offensive coordinator. Jonathan Gannon, the Arizona Cardinals’ rookie head coach, and Matt Eberflus, leading the Chicago Bears, were ranked lower than McDaniels at No. 31 and No. 32, respectively.
“We know he can run a Patriots offense, which is probably why he basically remade the old Patriots in Las Vegas this offseason,” Benjamin wrote. “But adversity has tended to dent, not strengthen, his teams in two different gigs as a head man.”
Jimmy Garoppolo is coming in to replace Derek Carr, and he knows McDaniels’ offense. The Raiders coach is betting on the veteran signal caller, who had offseason foot surgery, to execute his play calling.
Vegas has one of the more expensive wide receiver groups in the NFL; all Garoppolo and McDaniels need to do is get those weapons the ball.
Ultimately, these rankings serve as a topic of discussion and debate among football enthusiasts. As the upcoming season unfolds, it will be interesting to see how McDaniels and the Raiders perform and whether they can surpass the expectations set by these rankings.
Maxx Crosby ranked in the top five pass rushers in the NFL
Crosby is already one of the top pass rushers in the league. The 25-year-old is the heart of the Raiders defense, earning Pro Bowl honors in both 2021 and 2022. Still, on a personal level, he likely wants to be the most feared player league-wide against an offense.
Touchdown Wire put Crosby at No. 4 in their ranking heading into this season. Only three players were considered ahead of him in the rankings: Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys, Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers, and Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns.
Last season, Crosby registered 15 sacks, 22 quarterback hits, and 44 quarterback hurries. The back-to-back Pro Bowler also added 57 stops to his stat-line. With his relentless energy and skillful technique, Crosby has established himself as a force to be reckoned with.
His high motor and knack for getting to the quarterback have made Crosby a constant threat to opposing offensive lines. Week after week, the Eastern Michigan alum has consistently showcased his ability to disrupt plays and apply pressure, earning the recognition that a player of his caliber deserves.
*Top Photo: Battle for Vegas
