Silver Minings: Maxx Crosby has been NFL’s best pressure rusher

Raiders’ star leads league in key pass-rush stat

In this community, we know Maxx Crosby is an elite player.

He’s a top five defensive players in the NFL and you want to say he’s the best in the NFL, you certainly could make that case.

But does the Las Vegas Raiders’ pass-rusher get enough credit? Probably not.

Maybe it’s because the Raiders aren’t a contender. Maybe it’s because Las Vegas’ defense is overall weak despite the presence of Crosby or maybe it’s because he was a fourth-round pick from small school Eastern Michigan four years.

Whatever the reason is, it’s time for Crosby to get his flowers.

This week, Pro Football Focus posted a tweet that shows just have special Crosby has been. Over the course of the past two NFL seasons, Crosby leads all pass rushers with 182 pressures. San Francisco’s Nick Boa is second with 165.

Crosby is the best at what pass-rushers are supposed to do — create pressure. It’s time people realize it.

In other Raiders’ news:

• He’s a bad man: The Athletic has a feature on first-round pick Tyree Wilson.
• Top 100 list: More evidence of the silliness of the annual top 100 players list.
• Shades of The Ghost?: ESPN has a look at whether Raiders’ rookie tight end Michael Mayer can have the same impact as fellow Notre Dame tight end Dave “The Ghost” Casper had on the Raiders. Mayer was taken in the second round. The Hall of Famer Casper was drafted in the same round 49 years ago.