There’s something kind of poetic about Maxx Crosby still being the guy in Vegas. New coach, new linebackers, new faces all over the defense—and he’s still the one anchoring the chaos. While everyone else was packing bags or learning Pete Carroll’s plays, Crosby was just… showing up. Same edge. Same fire. Doesn’t matter who walks through that locker room—the standard’s already waiting, and it’s wearing a captain’s patch and eye black.The 27-year-old DE even inked a massive deal with Vegas, cementing his name as one of the highest-paid edge rushers in the NFL. Meanwhile, the Raiders wanted a total makeover at the linebacker position. Germaine Pratt showed up late but instantly clicked with Devin White, Elandon Roberts, and Jaylon Smith. While all these LBs bring a little toughness and leadership to the Raiders’ defensive unit, they still see Crosby as their captain and take cues from him. Take the newly signed Pratt, for instance.On Saturday, Crosby took to his official ‘X’ handle and shared a picture of himself with a two-word caption, which kind of sounded like an ultimatum to the opposition. “WON’T STOP,” he wrote. And right after that went down, Pratt took a moment to re-share Crosby’s post and shared a message for him. “Mf dog ,” Pratt wrote. A slang nod to his new teammate.Mf dog https://t.co/f97WBdREec— Germaine Pratt (@GermainePratt7) June 14, 2025The two-word message just says it all. Respect, unity, and a nod that he’s right there with Crosby’s mindset. The 29-year-old LB signed with the Raiders earlier this week on a one-year, $4.25 million contract. The LB has arrived in Vegas after recording one of the best seasons of his career with the Bengals. We’re talking 143 tackles in seventeen starts, a couple of forced fumbles, and two picks.Unfortunately, Pratt failed to record a sack in the 2024 season in comparison to the two sacks that he recorded a year before. That said, he will add depth in the Raiders’ defense, given that he’s entering the seventh season after spending six seasons with the Bengals. The LB had a great season in Cincy last year, no doubt. And now, Maxx Crosby and Pete Carroll are surely hoping for him to replicate the same heroics in Vegas as well.Joe Burrow took an expected stance on Germaine PrattThe Bengals picked Pratt in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft, and ever since, he’s been a cornerstone of the team’s defense. But earlier this year, the 29-year-old linebacker requested a trade from his team, where he spent six seasons. It took some time, but the Bengals released Pratt during the mandatory minicamp. Right after that went down, quarterback Joe Burrow sent a goodbye message to his former LB.“I love Germaine. Germaine has made some big-time plays for us over the years. We’re going to miss him around here,” Burrow said, as per Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “He was a leader, a guy who created turnovers, made a lot of tackles, and made some of the biggest plays in franchise history. So we love him. He’s a vocal guy, very vocal, and we didn’t have a ton of those the last couple years. Germaine filled that role and filled it well.”Though the Bengals have already wrapped up their minicamp, and it’s been a few days since Burrow sent a goodbye message to his former LB, Pratt, is yet to respond to his message as he’s getting along with his Raiders’ teammate. The LB recorded a career high in his final season with Cincy for their struggling defense, and never missed a game in the past couple of years. The veteran started 88 games in 96 appearances and amassed over 600 career tackles before requesting a trade.Entering the 2025 offseason, the Bengals wanted young talent on the defensive side of the ball, and they eventually got it. Especially when they drafted Demetrius Knight, who is expected to take Pratt’s place. That said, Germaine Pratt will now kick off the next chapter of his career with the Raiders. Whether he will revitalize his career under Pete Carroll, or will this stint be a learning experience for him? We’ll see.The post Raiders LB Germaine Pratt Sends Strong Message to Maxx Crosby Ignoring Joe Burrow’s Emotional Goodbye appeared first on EssentiallySports.