Crabtree came out of Texas Tech as their greatest player of all time and one of college football's most decorated receivers. He came into April's combine assuming he would wow all scouts and perhaps be a top 5 pick. Only the wowing didn't happen, just the owing. Crabtree injured his ankle in Indianapolis and the murmurs started about his durability, even though I can't remember a time that he was injured in college. Because of this (and because Al Davis is an idiot) Crabtree fell to the 49ers who occupied the 10 spot in the draft. The 49ers were ecstatic that a player of Crabtree's level fell to them because they were starved for a playmaker on offense to spread the field (a la ROY Percy Harvin, the 9er's along with 21 other teams passed on Percy. Whoops) Crabtree on the other hand, was not so pleased.
Apparently, Crabtree thought that wherever Mel Kiper Jr. says you should be selected, you should be selected and get paid like that pick should be paid (which is over paid but that's a different subject). Crabtree felt like he was a top 5 talent and he wanted to be paid as a top 5 talent. Or at least he should be paid as much as the 7th pick in the draft, fellow wide receiver Darius Hayward-Bey, got from Oakland (again, Al Davis....just die. Not in a mean sense but c'mon man. He's never going to step down and he is running a franchise into the ground) The 49er's wanted to pay Crabtree what other 10th overall selections in the draft usually get. Crabtree said no mas and negotiations were put on the back burner.
Fast forward to October. Crabtree has missed all team activities and the teams first 9 games (counting preseason) so you can imagine that he was behind in all of the team bonding and the hazing that rookies usually go through. Also, if you weren't aware, the 49er's have a coach that used to be somewhat of a badass linebacker for one of the most dominating defenses in the National Football League's history...He isn't to keen on bullshit. Singletary said all of the right things when Crabtree was holding out and rightfully so. The 9er's were 3-2 and looking like the surprise team of the season. When something amazing happened. An act of Deion.
Prime time himself stepped in and played peacemaker between the two sides and eventually they came to an agreement. Crabtree stood on a NFL field for the first time on October 25th in Houston. The 49er's lost. The lost their next game to the Colts. They lost their next game to the Titans. The 49er's lucked out and won a crappily played game vs the Bears on a Thursday night but then they turn that around into another loss to the Packers. That means the 49er's are 1-4 since Crabtree signed. Not good.
Crabtree is easily the 49er's best wide receiver option outside of Vernon Davis and should be an impact player for many years to come but what does this say about the 49er's? They caved into Crabtree's demands and look at what has happened. It could be coincidence. It could be related. I'm not here to judge.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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