Will 2014 be Crabtree's last season as a Niner?

Originally posted by Pillbusta:
We will resign Iupati at some point this season and next offseason, Whitner, Goodwin and Justin Smith come off our books. I also anticipate some cuts and/or pay cuts of some very expensive vets. Then the priorities for extensions will be Kaep because Harbaugh said he was the best player in the 2011 draft, then Aldon because OLB is arguably the 2nd most impactful position in football and he is the premier sack artist in the league, then Crabtree because he is our number 1 receiver.

I do see us having some leverage with Kaep on his contract because if he doesn't extend this summer then he plays 2014 at a shade over $1 million and he is risking both injury and job security for pennies on the dollar. Kaep is 25 and as a QB this won't be his last deal and he won't want to miss study time. I think we get a good deal done with him. Aldon will be expensive but since he is only 23, I would extend him for a very long time so that it appears that he is getting the biggest deal but annually not so much (8yr/$70mil).

Then to Crabtree, you can already see that he knows it is time for an extension. He is talking about being a number 1 and working hard to have a great season. He wants to get paid and it is his agent that is putting this stuff in his ears. I just hope that Harbaugh is in Kaep's ear and is reminding him that his job is to spread the ball around to the guy that is open and not to repeat what happened on the final set of downs during the Super Bowl. Crabtree wants the lucrative extension this summer but if the price isn't right he will be a free agent the summer of 2015. I hope we keep them all but Kaep and Aldon are musts

This.

If we keep our O-line dominant, extend Aldon, and of course Kaep, we will be an elite team for years to come, with or without Michael Crabtree, so long as we continue to give him a steady influx of talent at receiver.

Originally posted by Rascal:
The question should be if we don't pay Crab then what ? The problem is we never went all out to draft some big time wideouts. By 2015 who would we have left in the receiving corps ? Are we banking on on AJ and Quinton ? There is no doubt in my mind that in the next draft we will have to go all out on wideouts, at least one 1st round and another high rounder, we will have to do what the Rams managed to do this year. Bottomline is there is next to no use to have a great QB like Kaep when we don't fully capitalize and ultilize his ability by giving him a full range of weapons and more importantly great weapons that he deserves and needs.

We have the draft capital with potentially 6 topp 100 draft picks for 2014 already. We have the ammunition to get premium talent once again and we will. Said talent will have 1 year to be groomed to take over. And your question is legitimate because you almost ask why should we pay him if we can't afford to? I think he knows this and is aiming to play himself into a very large contract this year and if he progresses we may not have a choice but to fit him in even though there will be some talent in the next draft

Originally posted by LifelongNiner:
This.

If we keep our O-line dominant, extend Aldon, and of course Kaep, we will be an elite team for years to come, with or without Michael Crabtree, so long as we continue to give him a steady influx of talent at receiver.

You think like our front office and it seems to be similar to what NE and GB are doing and they are always in the mix. The difference is that we run the ball and defend well and I think those 2 programs have noticed it too

Originally posted by Rascal:
The question should be if we don't pay Crab then what ? The problem is we never went all out to draft some big time wideouts. By 2015 who would we have left in the receiving corps ? Are we banking on on AJ and Quinton ? There is no doubt in my mind that in the next draft we will have to go all out on wideouts, at least one 1st round and another high rounder, we will have to do what the Rams managed to do this year. Bottomline is there is next to no use to have a great QB like Kaep when we don't fully capitalize and ultilize his ability by giving him a full range of weapons and more importantly great weapons that he deserves and needs.

Agreed!

Lets wait to see if Crabtree can repeat the 1,000 plus yards of last year. I'm expecting his yardage to be even more than last year. If he goes under 1,000 -- let him walk. There's a premium for #1 receiver in FA, but I'm not so sure that Crabtree's ability can carry that usual #1 status that people tend to think of when they talk about a #1 receiver talent. Got to be a clutch receiver if he wants to be #1 especially in big games. That SB performance by Crabtree was a mix bag.

Originally posted by Pillbusta:

Originally posted by Rascal:
The question should be if we don't pay Crab then what ? The problem is we never went all out to draft some big time wideouts. By 2015 who would we have left in the receiving corps ? Are we banking on on AJ and Quinton ? There is no doubt in my mind that in the next draft we will have to go all out on wideouts, at least one 1st round and another high rounder, we will have to do what the Rams managed to do this year. Bottomline is there is next to no use to have a great QB like Kaep when we don't fully capitalize and ultilize his ability by giving him a full range of weapons and more importantly great weapons that he deserves and needs.

We have the draft capital with potentially 6 topp 100 draft picks for 2014 already. We have the ammunition to get premium talent once again and we will. Said talent will have 1 year to be groomed to take over. And your question is legitimate because you almost ask why should we pay him if we can't afford to? I think he knows this and is aiming to play himself into a very large contract this year and if he progresses we may not have a choice but to fit him in even though there will be some talent in the next draft

Well, is true cos I doubt Anquan will still be there and I will need to see what AJ, Quinton and Ricardo can do. But, bottomline we will have to prepare for the worst just in case we can't work things out with Crab. The good news is there are some big playmaking wideouts in next year's draft. I don't want any more barely 6' jack of all trades type WRs. I want some 6'3"+ tall and fast guys who can play the deep ball and make big plays. I wanted one this year, but we went D heavy in the draft and got yet another 6' WR in Quinton. Is really time we went WR heavy in the draft some studs. Right off the bat, I am looking at Brandon Coleman and Jordan Matthews. Let's not mess around again, we will have to make some solid picks.

Originally posted by pwillis52beasty:
I wish we would resign him as I think he's a top 10 Wide receiver. However, it'll be another Dashon Goldson type of situation and he'll get his money, from Dallas most likely.

Afraid you are correct.

Goldson was not the best FS in the league even though he was All Pro one year. That rating, as we have now learned, was largely due to the pass rush that protected the entire secondary. He was good, but not worth the money he wanted, or received. I feel Crabtree is similar.

Crabtree is not a top 10 receiver, at least not yet. He doesn't have elite speed and that is what it would take to get $10MILLION/yr. This year will be revealing on many fronts. If he has a big year, then he may get extended. OTOH, if he stays in that 1100 yard range and Jenkins and Patton come along as expected, then Baalke most likely lets him test the market.

Yes

They'll work it out, we can't lose Grabtree. We got Justin Smith coming off the books, and think Brooks and Rogers may end up being moved.

49ers gotta keep Crabs. He played like a boss last year.

This is the year where we figure to keep or let him go......Hope he beasts and we keep him....

Originally posted by T-9ers:

They'll work it out, we can't lose Grabtree. We got Justin Smith coming off the books, and think Brooks and Rogers may end up being moved.

Brooks? Seriously?

Wtf is a Grabtree

It might not even be up to Crabtree. Depending on how Jenkins and Patton, maybe even Lockette and K. Williams perform, the front office might not even bother making a serious contract offer to Crabtree. If they decide to let him hit free agency without taking what he would probably consider a below market value contract offer, he's off to the highest bidder.

If Harbaugh comes out this year and says in public you gotta reward your best receiver and endorses him, then Crabs will be gone