Michael Crabtree May Have Found A Home

Michael Crabtree has anxiously been sitting and waiting for a phone call from an interested team. Part of the problem is that Crabtree is requesting #1 WR contract while at best he is a #3 WR and teams were not willing to drop that kind of change on a guy who is averaging only 7 receptions and 54 yards per game and his attitude doesn’t help.

Since the beginning of the Free Agency period a collection of solid wide receivers like Jeremy Maclin, Andre Johnson, Dwayne Bowe and even Percy Harvin all signed with teams leaving Crabtree as one of the top players in FA that was unsigned.

Rumor now is the Crabtree will be signing with the Oakland Raiders where he will line up with James Jones (666 yards) and Rod Streater (84 yards). The deal has not been announced and is contingent on him passing a physical. There is also talk that the Raiders, who have the #4 Draft Pick in this month’s NFL Draft, may look to draft a wide receiver in either Amari Cooper or Kevin White.

In the last decade Oakland seemed quite excited to sign young players who were washed up before their career started (JaMarcus Russell) or players who were at the end of their careers (Justin Tuck) so you wonder how this may affect his play.

 

Does the change from 49ers scarlet and gold to Raiders silver and black help or hurt Crabtree’s collectability?

Crabtree Signs On The Dotted Line

Now that Michael Crabtree has finally signed with the 49ers you can say that one battle is over and a new one about to begin. After finally ending his 72-day holdout, which Crabtree hinted that the entire ordeal was in his agent’s hands from the get-go, he now has to earn the trust of his teammates. Sure he got an additional 1-year and $12 million over the initial offer but was it really worth it in the end?

Crabtree may be a talented player but he now looks like a greedy and selfish diva who put his wallet in front of his professional career and his new team. He has missed out on so much between the mini camps, the pre-season and the first 4 games of the year, games that many will point out as being well played even without the “go to” player. He obviously will not be playing Sunday and the 49ers have a bye week the following week, which puts him in line with finally seeing playing time in Week 7 against the Houston Texans.

Ann Killion of SI brought up a good point in her covering story when she asked if the Jets picking up Braylon Edwards in a trade with the Browns had anything to do with Crabtree finally signing... Inquiring minds want to know?

Michael Crabtree Negotiations

The countdown has begun on the Crabtree negotiations. October 20th, just two weeks away, is the trade deadline in the NFL and all teams must have their Draft Picks signed by November 19th or the player can return to the draft pool.

In the last two weeks there have been accusations of the Jets tampering with the negotiations as well as rumors of Crabtree caving in and ready to accept the 49ers offer and of course based on Crabtree’s agent, Eugene Parker, there is the claim that Crabtree will sit out the year and enter the 2010 NFL Draft. The Jets tampering is being looked in to and there has been no proof provided as of yet on that accusation.

Today sources said that Crabtree was returning to San Francisco to renew contract negotiations, which could be a positive thing for both parties. Right now, as it stands, the 49ers have offered Crabtree 5-years and $20 million with $16 million guaranteed. This actually seems like a fair offer based on the draft position, but I also understand Crabtree’s side where he feels he is worthy of a better payday. He was an excellent college WR but has yet to prove that in the NFL, do you pay him on his college experience or how you feel he will do in the pros?

If Crabtree does return to the draft it is quite possible that he may fall even further then the 10th Pick next year. There are some decent Receivers next year and Crabtree will have shown that he can be difficult in negotiations not to mention that he will have been out of football for well over a year by the time the 2010 Season starts. You could potentially see Dez Bryant, Arrelious Benn and Brandon LaFell all go before Crabtree in the draft. One mock draft I saw had Crabtree being drafted 10th by the Cowboys next year, probably a stretch too.