Raiders star pass rusher Maxx Crosby is the third-fastest player in NFL history to reach 100 tackles for loss.
The only players who reached the mark faster than Crosby, who did it in 93 games, are J.J. Watt and Aaron Donald — who, along with Lawrence Taylor, are the only three-time winners of the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.
Crosby is one of the favorites to win the award next season. He is tied with Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons as the 9-1 fourth choice at Caesars Sportsbook and is 16-1 at the Westgate SuperBook, where he’s tied with 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa as the sixth choice.
“If the Raiders were to win 10 games and he led the league in sacks, that would certainly put him in the discussion,” SuperBook vice president of risk Ed Salmons said. “He’s always one of the guys that fits the profile. They can’t go 4-13, but Denver was 10-7. That worked for (Patrick) Surtain.”
The Broncos’ Surtain became only the seventh cornerback to win the award last season, and the first cornerback since the Patriots’ Stephon Gilmore in 2019.
“It’s rare for that to happen. I don’t think we had any money on him at all,” Salmons said. “People are looking for the high-profile players with the tackles and the sacks. It usually starts with the defensive edge players.”
Edge rushers dominate the top of the betting board for the award. The Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson is the 7-1 favorite, followed by the Steelers’ T.J. Watt, the Browns’ Myles Garrett and the Cowboys’ Micah Parsons at 8-1. The Texans’ Will Anderson Jr. is next at 12-1.
Garrett won the award in 2023, Nick Bosa in 2022 and T.J. Watt in 2021.
Salmons said Parsons is always an extremely popular play and Hutchinson had a lot of money on him last year before his season was cut short after five games by a fractured tibia and fibula.
Crosby, who led the league in tackles for loss in two of the past four years, missed the final four games of last season after suffering a season-ending ankle injury. He still led the Raiders in sacks, with 7½, after compiling 27 sacks the previous two seasons.
Comeback Player of the Year
Hutchinson is tied with 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey as the 3-1 second choice at Caesars to win the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. Crosby is tied with Texans wide receiver Tank Dell as the 25-1 ninth pick.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is the +275 favorite to win the award, which, according to the Associated Press, is supposed to “honor a player who has demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity by overcoming illness, physical injury or other circumstances that led him to miss playing time the previous season.”
In other words, the award is not supposed to be won by a player simply coming back from a bad year or a season spent as a backup, like Sam Darnold. The veteran quarterback barely played for the 49ers in 2023 as a backup to Brock Purdy before bouncing back with a career year last season for the Vikings. He finished third in voting for the award.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow won the award for the second time after leading the league in touchdowns (43) and passing yards (4,918). He played all 17 games for the Bengals (9-8) after missing seven due to injuries the previous season.
Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is the 5-1 fourth favorite, followed by Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (+650), Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (14-1), Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (16-1) and Saints quarterback Derek Carr (18-1).
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on X.
NFL Defensive Player of Year odds
At Westgate SuperBook
Up to 30-1
Aidan Hutchinson 7-1
Myles Garrett 8-1
Micah Parsons 8-1
T.J. Watt 8-1
Will Anderson Jr. 12-1
Nick Bosa 16-1
Maxx Crosby 16-1
Jalen Carter 20-1
Jared Verse 25-1
Trey Hendrickson 30-1
Patrick Surtain 30-1
NFL Comeback Player of Year odds
At Caesars Sportsbook
Up to 25-1
Dak Prescott +275
Aidan Hutchinson 3-1
Christian McCaffrey 3-1
Trevor Lawrence 5-1
J.J. McCarthy +650
Rashee Rice 14-1
Tua Tagovailoa 16-1
Derek Carr 18-1
Maxx Crosby 25-1
Tank Dell 25-1