{"id":669727,"date":"2026-01-11T21:15:12","date_gmt":"2026-01-11T21:15:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/669727\/"},"modified":"2026-01-11T21:15:12","modified_gmt":"2026-01-11T21:15:12","slug":"the-maxx-crosby-debate-joebucsfan-com","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/669727\/","title":{"rendered":"The Maxx Crosby Debate – JoeBucsFan.com"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Pros and cons.<\/p>\n

Look, Joe has been hollering for a legitimate edge rusher since Father Time caught up with Jason Pierre-Paul and Bucs sacks king Shaq Barrett.<\/p>\n

Bucs coach Todd Bowles\u2019 public indifference to an edge rush drives Joe bananas. Joe will take to his grave the belief the only more important player on a football team than an edge rusher is a quarterback.<\/p>\n

(At this point of the story, the quarterback pressures\/almost-sacks\/horseshoes-and-hand-grenades crowd will quickly jump on a keyboard.)<\/p>\n

Think about it: The only times the Bucs have won a Super Bowl, they had a ferocious edge rusher(s). And when the Bucs have had horrid defenses, they\u2019ve had virtually no edge rush to speak of.<\/p>\n

Joe rests the case.<\/p>\n

So the lacking edge rush \u2014 YaYa Diaby is a nice player but Joe thinks he\u2019s more of a No. 2\u00a0 to complement a stud on the other side, sort of like a Leonard Floyd \u2014 has finally reached a point where it seems the Bucs might have to take the position seriously.<\/p>\n

The Bucs tried last year and signed Haason Reddick \u2014 which Joe not only applauded, but strongly supported. Why not take an expensive shot on one of the premier edge rushers in the game, one year removed?<\/p>\n

But, given how Bucs AC\/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht is spooked by edge rushers nearing the age of 30, Reddick\u2019s subpar season might have reinforced Licht\u2019s philosophy of steering clear of older edge rushers.<\/p>\n

Enter future Hall of Famer Maxx Crosby.<\/p>\n

He had a cryptic Twitter on Saturday that may or may not suggest he wants a fresh start from the lowly Raiders, who put him on the shelf late in the season despite his public protests.<\/p>\n

(Memo to players: Joe wants to do a Sam Kinison with your juvenile cryptic messages. If you want to say something, \u201cSAY IT! SAY\u2026 IT!!!\u201d Don\u2019t waste everyone\u2019s time. SAY IT!<\/a> You aren\u2019t being cute. You\u2019re being stupid.)<\/p>\n

Would Joe love to have Crosby on the Bucs roster? Hell yes! But Joe just doesn\u2019t see Licht doing this after just getting singed by Reddick.<\/p>\n

Now if you want to argue Reddick was misused, that\u2019s a whole different discussion.<\/p>\n

First, Crosby is due $30 million in base salary<\/a> for 2026, per Spotrac.com. Then, there is the ransom for Crosby. And on top of that, the Bucs would be trading for damaged goods. Crosby just had surgery on his left knee.<\/p>\n

Even if one could get Crosby cheap, there\u2019s that massive contract. Would Mark Davis be willing to eat a chunk of his salary to get draft picks?<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s another obstacle. Licht covets his draft picks. Would he cough them up for a damaged goods edge rusher pushing 29? And then hope the guy is used right?<\/p>\n

That is a whole lot of what-ifs at what likely would be a very expensive price tag.<\/p>\n

Trading a haul of draft picks for an aging, expensive, damaged-goods player is a good way for a general manager to get run.<\/p>\n

Everything Happens For A Reason. What\u2019s Meant To Be Cannot Be Denied. What\u2019s Already Known Doesn\u2019t Have To Be Explained. When It\u2019s All Said & Done\u2026 I Will Be A Champion & One Of The Greatest To Ever Do It. They Can Sleep & Doubt All They Want But Cream Always Rises To The Top\u2026.\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/5TtAK2dARb<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Maxx Crosby (@CrosbyMaxx) January 10, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

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