Are the Las Vegas Raiders seeing a repeat of the Josh Jacobs situation with Maxx Crosby? A closer look at leverage, leadership and timing in Las Vegas.
For the Raiders, the debate around Crosby and Jacobs is less about personality and more about how fans interpret leverage during instability. When star players signal frustration, whether publicly or privately, it is often framed as selfishness or distraction. That framing can be emotionally satisfying, but it is not always analytically sound.
In the NFL, stars use their voice. That is not unusual, especially when a team is in transition. Players like Crosby or Jacobs applying pressure for clarity on contracts, direction or competitiveness is part of how the league works, not automatic proof of drama. In many cases, elite players feel the urgency before everyone else.
That matters even more for the Raiders if they are building around incoming rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza. A young quarterback needs stability, but he also needs proven veterans who push for standards, accountability and an actual plan. Those things do not clash. They usually go together.
The optics don’t look good for the Raiders’ star pass rusher…
It is important to separate optics from substance. Cryptic posts, frustration or distance can look bad from the outside. But fans do not see contract talks, roster plans or private conversations. When people fill in the blanks, they create a narrative, not always the truth.
The better question is why this feels believable so fast with the Raiders. That points to the bigger issue: years of roster misses, coaching changes and mixed direction. This does not excuse every move by Crosby or Jacobs. It just means pressure from a star is not always a distraction. Sometimes it is a test of whether the Raiders are serious about building a real winner around Mendoza.
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*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images