Crabtree Discussion Thread

Originally posted by rum53:

Originally posted by frenchmov:
when has michael crabtree EVER said he was going to sit out the season? we're just getting reports from "sources".

schefter has his sources, mm has sources, PFT has sources, and they ALL seem to be saying different things.

until we hit week 10 with no contract or until we hear it from crabcakes mouth then i have to believe a deal will get done

Good point on the "sources". As it stands right now, Crabtree is on the verge of losing millions of $ if he does indeed enter the draft and is chosen after the #10 pick. The "sources" could very well be Crabtree's last ditch efforts in building leverage against the 49ers. Hopefully the 49ers will not blink.

His entourage is mainly made up of his family and I have a feeling he was hoping to land on a team closer to home: little biatch.

If it were allowed, the Niners should just draft him against next year and force him to sit out again with a low offer. Eff his career.

Originally posted by valrod33:

Originally posted by frenchmov:
when has michael crabtree EVER said he was going to sit out the season? we're just getting reports from "sources".

schefter has his sources, mm has sources, PFT has sources, and they ALL seem to be saying different things.

until we hit week 10 with no contract or until we hear it from crabcakes mouth then i have to believe a deal will get done

just got off the crack pipe with my sources and they confirmed to me that Crabtree will sign during our bye week so he can play in home state of texas against the Texans.

Fixed.

From Mike Silver at Yahoo Sports:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ms-morningrush091409&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Quote:
I’d like to wish Michael Crabtree(notes) a happy birthday – the 49ers’ first-round draft pick turned 22 Monday – and I hope he gets a call from his mother, a yummy cake, lots of awesome presents … and, most important, a clue. As it becomes increasingly likely that Crabtree, the talented wideout from Texas Tech picked 10th overall by the Niners in April’s NFL draft, will sit out the season and reenter the 2010 draft (and I realize this can all change very quickly), I’m wondering whether the young man has really, truly, thought this all through. Look, I tend not to get overly worked up about contract squabbles, and over the years I’ve been prone to sympathize with the player, rather than management, in a vast majority of cases. (My parents and sister are employee-side labor lawyers; what can I say?) In this instance, however, I think Crabtree is the one being unreasonable. Unlike the Bengals, who lowballed tackle Andre Smith(notes) (the sixth overall pick) before finally getting him to swallow a below-market deal, the 49ers aren’t trying to screw Crabtree.


While I’ve certainly pummeled the Yorks over the years for doing things on the cheap, I don’t believe that’s what happening here. The Niners’ standing offer to the receiver, which includes $16 million in guaranteed cash, is entirely fair given the spot where he was drafted. A team source says the 49ers are willing to give Crabtree incentives that push the deal “up to a dollar less” than the package the Packers gave ninth overall pick B.J. Raji(notes) (a reported five-year, $28.5 million pact with just under $18 million in guaranteed money), “but we won’t go over that. Otherwise, we’re going to have the same problem next year, and the year after that …” Team president Jed York, general manager Scot McCloughan and Singletary are uniformly supportive of holding the line, even if it means losing out on Crabtree altogether. They also rightfully believe that, with each missed game, his value to them (for this season, at least) is decreased on a prorated basis. (Translation: The team just reduced its offer, and it will continue to do so with each passing week.) And the birthday boy? Let me give some direct advice: Dude, do you really think this is the right play? If I were you, I’d stop thinking about this in terms of what you think you’re worth relative to others who might have been picked ahead of you (like Raiders wideout Darrius Heyward-Bey(notes)) and start asking yourself if the Niners’ package that’s on the table is preferable to zero salary and a wasted year of your career – with no guarantee that things will work out better in 2010. Look, I’ve been involved in some tense negotiations before, and there are times in the past when I’ve felt undervalued by my employer (note to Y! Sports powers that be – not you). But in the end, it’s about controlling your emotions and making the most pragmatic business decision you can. Please think about that as you’re blowing out your candles, because in my opinion, you’re totally blowing it.

Even guys who normally side with the players think Crabtree is being a fool. I can't believe there are still people on his side here

Originally posted by valrod33:

Originally posted by frenchmov:
when has michael crabtree EVER said he was going to sit out the season? we're just getting reports from "sources".

schefter has his sources, mm has sources, PFT has sources, and they ALL seem to be saying different things.

until we hit week 10 with no contract or until we hear it from crabcakes mouth then i have to believe a deal will get done

just got off the phone with my sources and they confirmed to me that Crabtree will sign during our bye week so he can play in home state of texas against the Texans.

please God let him be right

Originally posted by valrod33:

Originally posted by frenchmov:
when has michael crabtree EVER said he was going to sit out the season? we're just getting reports from "sources".

schefter has his sources, mm has sources, PFT has sources, and they ALL seem to be saying different things.

until we hit week 10 with no contract or until we hear it from crabcakes mouth then i have to believe a deal will get done

just got off the phone with my sources and they confirmed to me that Crabtree will sign during our bye week so he can play in home state of texas against the Texans.

You crack me up valrod

Don't know if this was posted already, but PFT is reporting some anxiety on Crabtree's part. May be inclined to accept offer after win.

link

Originally posted by Schulzy:
Don't know if this was posted already, but PFT is reporting some anxiety on Crabtree's part. May be inclined to accept offer after win.

link

If he's not signed by Sunday, we can forget all about him, I'm sure of it

Originally posted by Schulzy:
Don't know if this was posted already, but PFT is reporting some anxiety on Crabtree's part. May be inclined to accept offer after win.

link

I particularly like this quote from the article above:

Quote:
We're told that 49ers players who spoke with Crabtree after the game detected anxiety on his part, and there's now a sense that he might be getting ready to take the offer that the 49ers have left on the table throughout training camp and the preseason.

I wonder which 49ers players are contacting him? I know Vernon hung out with him in the offseason.

Originally posted by DesiDez:

Originally posted by Schulzy:
Don't know if this was posted already, but PFT is reporting some anxiety on Crabtree's part. May be inclined to accept offer after win.

link

I particularly like this quote from the article above:

Quote:
We're told that 49ers players who spoke with Crabtree after the game detected anxiety on his part, and there's now a sense that he might be getting ready to take the offer that the 49ers have left on the table throughout training camp and the preseason.

I wonder which 49ers players are contacting him? I know Vernon hung out with him in the offseason.

I dont like the fact they made it public

Crabtree seems like the kind of guy to be like

"Im nervous???? f**k yall im going to re-enter"

Stupid indeed, but thats how he may behave.

Originally posted by DesiDez:

Originally posted by Schulzy:
Don't know if this was posted already, but PFT is reporting some anxiety on Crabtree's part. May be inclined to accept offer after win.

link

I particularly like this quote from the article above:

Quote:
We're told that 49ers players who spoke with Crabtree after the game detected anxiety on his part, and there's now a sense that he might be getting ready to take the offer that the 49ers have left on the table throughout training camp and the preseason.

I wonder which 49ers players are contacting him? I know Vernon hung out with him in the offseason.

Originally posted by HessianDud:

Originally posted by dj43:

Originally posted by HessianDud:

Originally posted by djfullshred:

Originally posted by HessianDud:

Originally posted by djfullshred:

Originally posted by LA9erFan:

Originally posted by djfullshred:
I don't think the 49ers have any intentions on signing the guy at this point. I believe they want to save their money for next year (unless Crabtree totally caves), and try again with a different WR pick. Crabtree would be a total nonfactor this year if signed now. And since the 49ers are a run first, pass later type of offense, they probably feel like they can wait another year to find a WR to develop for the long term.

I don't think that the Niners just realized that they were a run first, pass later kind of team. If we didn't want to spend big money on a receiver, we wouldn't have drafted him in the first place.

They gave him an offer that aligns to where he was slotted in the draft. Being that he was chosen #10, that is pretty big money. And yes, the 49ers knew they were a run team all along, which is why they don't want to overspend for a rookie WR.

I disagree that the offensive philosophy is the reason they don't want to overspend for a WR. They paid good money to Brandon Jones, after all. To run the ball well you need to keep defenses honest. A deep threat pulls the safeties off the line. a guy like Crabtree would only help the running game, because defenses would have to respect him.

I don't want to be unclear on what I think here...I don't believe the position has anything to do with the 49ers not wanting to overspend. I don't believe they want to overspend for any rookie contract at this juncture.

And add to that the type of offense they run, and still have Isaac Bruce who defenses do have to respect down the field, ther is not as much incentive for the 49ers to cave to a huge contract demand as in years past, where they might have. They will let him walk rather than caving in I betcha.

oh, we're in total agreement. I was just saying that I thought that Crabtree was a good pick even for a team planning to run mostly because of how it helps the run game. Yes, we do have some players that can help stretch the D a little, we just have to use them to do so, so there's not desperate need to overspend or do something foolish. We're not the Raiders, after all.

How the team adjusts the offensive scheme to yesterday's game will tell us a lot.

From the start of the game, it was clear AZ had prepared well for the 49er running game, and they should have. Afterall, Singletary had been telling everyone that they were going to run. Yesterday's results will have been viewed well by Seattle and we can expect them to approach it pretty much the same way the Cardinals did.

Now to take this back to Crabtree; if he was watching yesterday's game, I'm sure he saw very little that would make him run right over to 49er HQ and sign a contract. That offense yesterday was precisely what a young receiver like Crabtree does NOT want to play in. I have posited on this board a couple of times that Crabtree's reluctance to "cave" may be linked to the style of offense the team has advertised they will run.

So if I were the 49ers, and I wanted to make a push to get Crabtree signed, I would set up the game plan to include a more varied approach against the Seahawks, with plenty of passing. Then I would go back to MC and say, "See, we can throw the ball around. You want some of that? Sign here."

I've come around to agree with your assessment of Crabtree not having a big desire to play in our offense. I still think if we gave him the money he wants he would sign no matter how awful our offense is.

That said, we need to do what works in order to win. Obviously forcing ourselves to run 60% of the time with no variation is not going to work. If we open up a passing game and it wins us game, regardless of if its exciting enough for Crabtree, then thats what we have to do. If winning games makes MC want to sign, so be it. If not, so be it. But I would hate to see us force the pass as much as we're forcing the run just to get the kid to sign.

The bold is the important part. Whatever it takes.

However, the NFL is a passing league now, not a running league. Every year for the last ten years, there have been rule changes made to encourage success in the passing game. We saw the latest addition yesterday with the 15 yard penalty to Adrian Wilson for hitting Vernon Davis above the neck.

These rule changes are not JUST to protect players, or to add diversity to offenses, they are in place in recognition of the fact that the passing game fills stadiums with many casual fans who are quickly bored with running plays "up the gut" where ball and ball carrier are quickly lost in a sea of huge bodies. OTOH, long passes and neat crossing patterns are exciting. Fans can see the ball clearly and watch the receiver catch it and run, or catch it and get clocked. In either case, it is compelling football and fans shell out big money to come and watch. In other words, it is all about the money. Pass the back=cash. Run the ball=boring IN THE EYES OF THE NFL RULE MAKERS.

Now to bring that reality back to the Michael Crabtree situation; here is a young man who was at the center of that excitement throughout his college career. He is also very concerned about his personal appearance, as has been well documented. He loves the excitement and the esthetics of the most entertaining part of the game. I'm sure winning is important to him but, as was documented yesterday, even 49er players, though winners, were not excited about the style they played until the very end.

Now I don't know any more about Crabtree specifically than anyone else here but I do know that the style of offense the NFL PREFERS to see, and what Michael Crabtree wants to be a part of, are one and the same. Hence, I would bet the farm that if New Orleans had drafted him at #10, with their quarterback and their passing-minded offense, Michael Crabtree would have been signed and on the field yesterday and likely would have grabbed at least one of Brees' six touchdown throws yesterday.

Therefore, to answer dodo's comment; no, I don't expect Singletary to change his core philosophy, which is to win, but if he continues to dictate that it be done in a power-running dominant offense, I would be shocked if Crabtree ever signs for any amount of money.

Originally posted by ads_2006:

Originally posted by DesiDez:

Originally posted by Schulzy:
Don't know if this was posted already, but PFT is reporting some anxiety on Crabtree's part. May be inclined to accept offer after win.

link

I particularly like this quote from the article above:

Quote:
We're told that 49ers players who spoke with Crabtree after the game detected anxiety on his part, and there's now a sense that he might be getting ready to take the offer that the 49ers have left on the table throughout training camp and the preseason.

I wonder which 49ers players are contacting him? I know Vernon hung out with him in the offseason.

I dont like the fact they made it public

Crabtree seems like the kind of guy to be like

"Im nervous???? f**k yall im going to re-enter"

Stupid indeed, but thats how he may behave.

I agree. I prefer the networks forget about him. Out of sight out of mind.

Originally posted by DesiDez:

Originally posted by Schulzy:
Don't know if this was posted already, but PFT is reporting some anxiety on Crabtree's part. May be inclined to accept offer after win.

link

I particularly like this quote from the article above:

Quote:
We're told that 49ers players who spoke with Crabtree after the game detected anxiety on his part, and there's now a sense that he might be getting ready to take the offer that the 49ers have left on the table throughout training camp and the preseason.

I wonder which 49ers players are contacting him? I know Vernon hung out with him in the offseason.

Deion Sanders was a 49er

Originally posted by DesiDez:

Originally posted by Schulzy:
Don't know if this was posted already, but PFT is reporting some anxiety on Crabtree's part. May be inclined to accept offer after win.

link

I particularly like this quote from the article above:

Quote:
We're told that 49ers players who spoke with Crabtree after the game detected anxiety on his part, and there's now a sense that he might be getting ready to take the offer that the 49ers have left on the table throughout training camp and the preseason.

I wonder which 49ers players are contacting him? I know Vernon hung out with him in the offseason.

Are you guys that blind, its obvious what player spoke with Crabtree



Patrick Willis also sent this to Crabtrees Cell Phone with a simple message that read
"This could be you "

Originally posted by valrod33:

Originally posted by DesiDez:

Originally posted by Schulzy:
Don't know if this was posted already, but PFT is reporting some anxiety on Crabtree's part. May be inclined to accept offer after win.

link

I particularly like this quote from the article above:

Quote:
We're told that 49ers players who spoke with Crabtree after the game detected anxiety on his part, and there's now a sense that he might be getting ready to take the offer that the 49ers have left on the table throughout training camp and the preseason.

I wonder which 49ers players are contacting him? I know Vernon hung out with him in the offseason.

Are you guys that blind, its obvious what player spoke with Crabtree



Patrick Willis also sent this to Crabtrees Cell Phone with a simple message that read
"This could be you "