The Raiders had a disappointing season in 2024, finishing with a 4-13 record and missing the postseason for a third consecutive year. With the organization cleaning house, firing both Tom Telesco and Antonio Pierce, it is clear that there is significant change on the horizon for Las Vegas ahead of the 2025 season.
Team captain and Raiders DE Maxx Crosby isn’t looking to give up when the going gets tough, though. He already has eyes on next season and has begun doing his part to recruit new talent to Las Vegas to help get the team back into the postseason.
Maxx Crosby Recruits Najee Harris to Las Vegas Ahead of Free Agency
Crosby said, “Why not? He’s from the Bay. Najee’s a baller,” when asked about Steelers RB Najee Harris joining the Raiders. “He could come to Vegas all day.”
Harris would be a welcome addition to a team in desperate need of a running back. After letting Josh Jacobs walk in free agency last season, the Raiders tried to hand the reins over to Zamir White at running back, but injuries and subpar play made it clear he wasn’t their answer at the position.
Meanwhile, Jacobs thrived in his first season with Green Bay, rushing for 1,329 yards and a career-high 15 touchdowns while adding another score as a receiver.
Harris may not have yet reached the heights that Jacobs has during his career, but he is one of the most consistent players in the NFL. He has not missed a game in his four-year NFL career and has topped 1,000 yards in each of those seasons.
Najee Harris, @steelers RB has 4 consecutive 1000+ yard rushing seasons – the last Steeler to have 4+ consecutive 1000 yard seasons was Jerome Bettis (1996-2001.) #HereWeGo #NFL #NFLPlayoffs #SteelerNation #Steelers #PITvsBAL pic.twitter.com/PldxWrl0Pw
— Pro Football Hall of Fame Ambassador (@PFHOFAmbassador) January 11, 2025
While 1,000 yards may not be as impressive as it used to be due to the expanded season, it shows how durable Harris is in a position where durability is hard to come by. He is the only player in the league to top 1,000 in the last four years, and for three of those seasons, he has shared a backfield with Jaylen Warren.
The Raiders’ offense was ranked No. 29 in PFN’s Offense+ Metric, with a score of 64.7 (D). While they have a lot of work to do on that side of the ball, including adding a quarterback, the addition of Harris would be a good start to improving a unit that ranked towards the bottom of the league.
Crosby’s Recruitment Is a Good Sign for His Future With the Raiders
Many have speculated that Crosby could potentially request a trade or be a player opposing teams ask about in trade talks. However, with Crosby taking on the onus of trying to recruit Harris to Las Vegas, it’s a sign he wants to stick it out with the Raiders and try to build a winning team there.
The Raiders have the No. 6 pick in this year’s NFL Draft, and adding a blue-chip prospect or trading down to accumulate extra capital would go a long way in building a contending roster again. They may be too far down to find their next franchise quarterback in the draft, but they could build out their roster while adding a potential bridge quarterback in free agency to improve the offense even further.
It remains to be seen what the team will do to improve their roster for next season, but having their franchise cornerstone on board and happy with his current situation is a great sign for the Raiders organization.