Imagine showing up to practice knowing you’re about to face a guy who treats every snap like a personal challenge. That’s Maxx Crosby for you, and that’s the life for the Raiders’ offense when he’s on the field. Ask anyone who’s lined up against him in practice, and they’ll tell you: it’s like trying to block a tornado with a beach towel. Right tackle Thayer Munford Jr. once said that going against Crosby every day is “iron sharpening iron.”

But deep down, you can bet he’s felt every bit of that grind. Enter Geno Smith, the Seahawks’ vet, and the new quarterback in Las Vegas. The atmosphere in the locker room feels positive after Geno’s arrival. Even Crosby was hyped up, claiming, “I’m hyped. Geno’s a baller and exactly what we needed for this team and organization. It starts with the work and commitment. The brotherhood.” 

But when he actually showed up at the practice where Crosby was waiting for him, Geno didn’t find Crosby to be a ‘brother’. He found a guy who’s willing to do anything, so his defense can win the play. One would think these are exaggerations, but a couple of weeks back, Crosby joked about how he wants to ‘murder’ Geno. But it’s not in the way one might perceive on the surface level.

Rather than getting pumped up, Geno was just praising Crosby on the field. “I play Geno and I’m literally trying to murder him and I sacked him twice and was hitting him all over,” Crosby said while talking about it’s fair to hate someone when you’re against ’em. Sure, Geno and Maxx are on the same team ahead of the 2025 season, but at practice?

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Well, the guys on the opposite side of the ball will have to deal with him. But Geno has arrived with over a decade of experience. Experience of getting hit by the DEs and getting sacked at the line of scrimmage. So, he surely has the faintest idea about how to appreciate a good tackle. And Crosby’s explanation totally sums it up. “But in between, Geno was just like, ‘Hey, that’s good rush, bro. Good shit on that. Good shit.”

But Crosby wasn’t sugarcoating it. After all, it’s his thing to get in his opponent’s head. “I’m like I was like, ‘You’re a quick m*********er.’ I was like, ‘I’m coming for you though.'” That was the Raiders’ practice session with Maxx Crosby leading the D-line and Geno Smith taking the O-line’s charge ahead of the 2025 season. But the silver lining is that these two will be seen playing alongside in a few months. After all, Geno is excited to join the Raiders.

Geno Smith set to switch to silver and black

Earlier this offseason, the Seahawks discussed a contract extension with Geno Smith. But nope, as it turned out, both parties were not on the same page. Financially. The result? Well, Seattle signed the former Minnesota quarterback Sam Darnold to a three-year deal, and Geno? He was traded to the Raiders to reunite with his former head coach, Pete Carroll.

And get this, the 34-year-old quarterback has enough reasons to prefer Las Vegas over any other team. After Thursday’s OTAs, Geno had a chat with the media, where he addressed the reasons why the Raiders were his preferred destination. “Everything about it,” he said. “Coach Carroll, Las Vegas, the Raiders, the silver and black – this is a historic franchise. One of the most historic franchises in all of sports …  to say I can wear this helmet and this logo is special to me.”

Smith arrived in Las Vegas with one year still remaining on his deal with the Seahawks. But at the beginning of April, the QB signed a two-year, $75 million contract extension. “Geno can be a blessing to coaches,” newly signed offensive coordinator Chip Kelly praised Geno during the media availability.

Kelly went on, “He’s special. Everybody is a by-product of their environment. Not a lot of guys would have shown his resiliency or his perseverance. It’s hard to talk the talk when you haven’t walked the walk, and he has been in all those shoes.” Playing for four teams in a decade-long career in different roles, Geno Smith is now gearing up to take charge of the Raiders’ offense in 2025. As one of their key player.