A first impression is everything, and Jimmy Garoppolo is quickly endearing himself to his teammates on the Las Vegas Raiders. Recently, Maxx Crosby noted to reporters that “Jimmy G’s” conduct on the field has stood out. Garoppolo is coming off foot surgery this offseason, so he has to show his teammates that he’s healthy and ready to lead them.
Speaking of Crosby, he shared some insight regarding his offseason. It should surprise no one that No. 98 never stops working. Crosby serves as a leader, and the 25-year-old revealed the work he put in this offseason to guarantee Las Vegas sees his best form yet. The defensive leader had a lot to say, so let’s look at the news he made.
Maxx Crosby says Jimmy Garoppolo has that “dog” in him…
Las Vegas is taking a gamble by rolling the dice with Garoppolo after saying goodbye to Derek Carr. Although the 31-year-old isn’t in the “elite” tier, he can win football games. Now that Garoppolo signed a three-year, $72.75 million contract with the Raiders, the former San Francisco 49er has to show his teammates the franchise made the right decision in parting ways with Carr.
As training camp continues for the Raiders, Crosby gave his stamp of approval to Garoppolo. “Mad Maxx” highlighted the qualities he’s seeing behind the scenes that will make his quarterback successful this upcoming 2023 season.
“Jimmy’s cool as hell,” Crosby told reporters Tuesday. “You know, I’ve been here all offseason with him. He’s been training, working his ass off to get back. So I’m fired up that he’s out there with us literally before practice started. He’s already talking s–t, so I love it. So that’s the kind of guy I want to compete against, you know, so that’s between us,” he continued.
“But he’s a competitive dude. I love him, you know, he’s a dog. And I’m not just saying that because my quarterback, like, there’s certain guys that are dogs, and he’s definitely one of them, so I love it. I’m definitely looking forward to competing and getting after his a–.”
While Garoppolo might not have the physical tools his fellow AFC West quarterbacks have, leadership shouldn’t be overlooked. If the two-time Super Bowl champ takes care of the football and makes the right plays, he can have his teammates believing they can win any game.
Raider Nation might not see what’s happening behind the scenes in training camp, but they’ll soon begin watching Garoppolo in action. The new signal-caller will have a chance to impress the fanbase once Week 1 comes around.
So, what do you say, Raiders fans? Are the characteristics that Crosby is painting of Jimmy Garoppolo making you a believer in the veteran?
Maxx Crosby is ready to deliver his best form this season
Crosby had more to say than merely praising Garoppolo, as the pass-rusher pulled back the curtain on his offseason. Even though Crosby is getting recognition from the mainstream media, several rankings from different outlets put Crosby a tier below Nick Bosa and Myles Garrett.
However, Crosby wants to change that. The Raiders star revealed what he’s done to ensure his name is mentioned when talking about the top pass-rusher in the NFL this season.
“You know, every single year, I try to find 1 percent that 1 percent I can improve in every single category,” Crosby continued. “So, yeah, like this offseason, I started two weeks early. I started [on] January 30. I’ve already put in six months of training. So, like yeah, you know, there’s always, always room for improvement.”
While 12.5 sacks will have many pass-rushers satisfied, Crosby isn’t one of them, as he knows there’s another level he can reach. The Raiders defensive linemen will draw much attention from his opposition this season. Even with this, he wants to show that putting multiple players on him won’t be enough to stop him.
With the way Crosby is talking, and the work he put in this offseason, grab your popcorn, Raider Nation; you might witness his Defensive Player of the Year Award bid in 2023.
*Top Photo: Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal