One award that the NFL doesn’t have that the NBA does is “Most Improved Player.” But if they did, you could make a strong case that Maxx Crosby deserved that award for his performance in the 2021 season.
The third-year pass rusher led the NFL in pressures, hurries and quarterback hits. He was the most consistent pass rusher in the league and he had five games this season with at least 11 pressures. It was incredible how much he improved in just one year with the Raiders.
In a recent piece by Pro Football Focus, they acknowledge his growth by naming him the most improved player on the roster for the Raiders this year. Here is what the site had to say about the Pro Bowl EDGE rusher:
“Crosby is right there with (A.J.) Terrell and (De’Vondre) Campbell for most improved player in the NFL. His 33.9-point PFF grade swing year-over-year was the second-highest in the league, regardless of position.
He went from 65th to second among edge defenders in PFF grade. Crosby’s 108 pressures in 2021 led the NFL and were 60 more than the year before. That kind of leap in production is unprecedented.”
Crosby is now widely viewed as one of the league’s best edge rushers as he dominated in big games last season. Now, the goal for Crosby is to turn more of his pressures and hurries into quarterback sacks. If he can accomplish that in 2022, there is just no telling how high the ceiling might be for Crosby.
