Michael Crabtree angle #1,395: Effect on his 49ers teammates

Over the past month we've read just about every story there is about the Michael Crabtree holdout situation.  We've read about the philosophical differences and we've read about how the 49ers are coping without Crabtree's potentially explosive presence in the offense.

Coach Singletary has been asked about Crabtree on a fairly regular basis and it had me wondering about a somewhat related issue: what the effect of all this will be on Crabtree's relationship with his future 49ers teammates once he signs?  On the one hand they know this is a business and he's trying to get his.  On the other hand, he's a rookie holding out for higher than slot money, which I'd imagine the veterans won't take too kindly to.  I recall Vernon Davis saying he should get his deal done and get on the field.  But other than that I haven't heard a whole lot.

I'd assume it won't be a big deal because current players know these things happen.  And yet it still has to get under their skin a little bit.  Below are a few comments from Singletary on Crabtree.  After the jump we've got yesterday's transcripts from Singletary and Alex Smith.

On whether WR Michael Crabtree could be a factor this season if he doesn’t sign soon:
"I don’t really see it that way. But in all honesty, I’m not thinking about it a whole lot. These receivers who are here, they are busting their tails day-in and day-out. Those are the guys we are evaluating. We haven’t allowed anything else to come into the picture where we are thinking, ‘What if this?’ We are just going to continue to move forward. I’m still excited about Crabtree and the athlete he is, and at some point in time, what he brings to our team."

On whether he is happy with how the players have approached the Crabtree situation:
"Absolutely. Our guys have been nothing but great about the whole situation. We just continue to go forward and get better."

On whether it is only the front office negotiating with Crabtree:
"That is kind of the way we wanted to approach it from the onset. From the very beginning, I know on this side of it, the most important thing for me is to look at the guys out here and try to evaluate what is out here, the best 53 guys who are going to give us a chance to win. All the other things, I don’t really worry about them. Those are peripheral things until they come into view."

On whether the Crabtree situation bothers him:
"It doesn’t bother me today anymore than it did the first day. He has to make up his mind, he and his agent. For us, we are going to continue to do what we do."

On which quarterback will start in Saturday’s preseason game:
"Alex [Smith] will start the game, just vice versa of last week, a reversal of last week. When Shaun [Hill] comes in he will have the luxury of having the starting o-line. So it will be fair like it was last week."

On how many snaps Smith will take:
"We will let the game dictate how that goes."

On whether RB Frank Gore will play Saturday:
"He may play one series, six plays, something like that."

On what he wants to see from Smith Saturday:
"I just think it is important for him to go into the game and do the things we are looking for – taking care of the football, make sure we are getting the football out and avoiding costly mistakes."

On how well Smith is getting the ball out:
"I think it comes with understanding the offense. I think it comes with knowing what the reads are, what the progressions are and all those things. He and Shaun have done a great job of continuing to make progress in those areas. I see that as the continuation."

On which healthy players will sit out of Saturday’s game:
"[LB] Pat Willis, that may be one that comes to mind. [WR] Isaac [Bruce] may play a series or so. We will see how that goes, but he will play.

On whether LB Parys Haralson will play:
"Parys will be out."

On who will start in Haralson’s place:
"Ahmad Brooks."

On how long Haralson will be out of action:
"Parys will be fine. He won’t play this game, but he will be back next week and ready to go."

On whether S Michael Lewis will play Saturday:
"We have to monitor that a little closer and see. It will be a game-time decision."

On what he wants to see in Saturday’s game:
"I want to see a progression of what we have continued to build on. I think the guys have been making steady progress. I want to see us continue to progress. Every little thing we can do in every area, whether it is the offense, the defense or the special team, we just need to keep moving forward. The identity we have, the standard we set, we need to continue to live up to that and try to get there. That is what we need to do as a whole."

On what he learned about the Raiders from the scrimmage in Napa:
"In a situation like that, it is really unique because both teams when they are scrimmaging, you don’t know what the other team is doing. You don’t know how much of their offense they’re showing. You don’t know what their plans are going forward. For us, it is just a matter of continuing to do what we do and continuing to focus on the fundamentals and technique and get out of it what we are trying to get out of it."

On where newly acquired CB Eric Green fits into the secondary:
"Right now, he just adds to the competition. We are going to let him compete and see how it works out."

On whether Green will play Saturday:
"He will not play tomorrow."

On how he will ultimately decide on a starting quarterback for the regular season:
"[Offensive coordinator] Jimmy Raye, [quarterbacks coach] Mike Johnson and myself will sit down and look at some of the criteria we have set in terms of leadership, protecting the football, how the offense responds to them and some other things we look at going forward. We will make that decision based on that information."

On when he will make a decision on the starting quarterback for the regular season:
"I think we are just going to let it play out and look at the information we have and see how that stacks up against what we need and go from there."

On how close he is to making that decision:
"I think we are definitely closer than a week ago. Hopefully soon here, we will have an idea."

On whether he is seeing separation between the two quarterbacks:
"I am starting to see, between both of them, I’m starting to see some of the things we need to see. Now, we are working against time. Now we are working against, before the season starts, getting that continuity and trust factor and comfort of that offensive group as a whole feeling the quarterback a little bit more. It is not like one is running away with it or anything like that, it is just one of those things where you get to a point and you have to make a decision and go with your gut."

On whether WR Michael Crabtree could be a factor this season if he doesn’t sign soon:
"I don’t really see it that way. But in all honesty, I’m not thinking about it a whole lot. These receivers who are here, they are busting their tails day-in and day-out. Those are the guys we are evaluating. We haven’t allowed anything else to come into the picture where we are thinking, ‘What if this?’ We are just going to continue to move forward. I’m still excited about Crabtree and the athlete he is, and at some point in time, what he brings to our team."

On whether he is happy with how the players have approached the Crabtree situation:
"Absolutely. Our guys have been nothing but great about the whole situation. We just continue to go forward and get better."

On whether it is only the front office negotiating with Crabtree:
"That is kind of the way we wanted to approach it from the onset. From the very beginning, I know on this side of it, the most important thing for me is to look at the guys out here and try to evaluate what is out here, the best 53 guys who are going to give us a chance to win. All the other things, I don’t really worry about them. Those are peripheral things until they come into view."

On whether the Crabtree situation bothers him:
"It doesn’t bother me today anymore than it did the first day. He has to make up his mind, he and his agent. For us, we are going to continue to do what we do."

On whether DE Ray McDonald will be ready for the regular season:
"I don’t know. All I know is right now he is making great progress. That is exciting to see. He is ahead of schedule, working his tail off and that is really nice to see. Will he be ready for the start? I don’t know, but that would be a very nice addition to have."

On how he feels things are coming along in training camp:
"I feel good. I feel good about things. I feel like we’ve got a ton of work in this offseason and this camp, a ton of reps. I feel good with the offense and where we’re at."

On what he hopes to accomplish in tomorrow’s game:
"Besides playing well? I think that’s it. I think execute the offense, be smart with the football, make good decisions. That’s the biggest thing. Then, obviously, go out there and be accurate and play well within that. Especially playing quarterback, you get out here and you’ve got the jersey on and you don’t get touched. You don’t get any of that. So, when you get out in the games, it’s a little bit of a time to play football. If things break down, you’ve got to make things work and try to make plays."

On where he is in terms of learning the offense:
"I think I’m probably far more ahead of the game than I ever have been at this point with an offense. I think that’s because we have worked so hard, put so much time into this offseason and put so much time into this training camp. We’re really mastering our skill, mastering what we’re doing – this offense – and all the little details that go into it. It’s really been kind of an emphasis. So, I feel really good about it."

On whether he feels like he’s where he wants to be going into the season:
"Absolutely. Yes, I do, actually. I think if you asked me that question six months ago, and knowing how I feel now, yes, absolutely, I feel great. First of all, my shoulder feels awesome. I feel really good about that, and to not have to be worrying about that anymore has – knock on wood – been great. So, I’ve really been focusing on football, playing quarterback, learning this offense, and executing and going out there to help this team win games. That’s a nice thing to be worrying about those things."

On whether he obsesses about the decision of who will be the starting quarterback:
"I don’t’ think I obsess about it. No. I think I maybe in the past would have. It’s obviously something that’s on my mind. We go out there every day and we split the reps. That’s going to change here one of these days. One guy’s going to be named the starter, and he’s going to get the one reps and is good to go. I don’t obsess about it. I think about it, but I’m really trying to focus on what I have to do or what I can control if that makes sense. And, that’s going out there and playing good football, being smart with the football, making good decisions and playing quarterback well."

On whether he has thought about how he will handle either scenario, as the starter or the backup:
"I think those things kind of come in and out of my mind. I try to stay focused at what is at hand, and right now that is playing the Raiders. When that time comes, either way I will be ready. But right now I’m focused on Saturday."

On the importance of his performance Saturday:
"I know it is important. I’m not thinking down the line though, if that makes sense. I’m not thinking about what will happen a week from now or two weeks from now. I’m thinking about what is going to happen tomorrow night."

On where he thinks the quarterback competition is at:
"I have no idea, honestly. We bring different things to the table. We are different players. So I don’t know. That is probably a better question for the coaches."

On his performance during camp:
"I feel good about it. I am improving. I am getting better every day, I feel like. Now it’s a matter of taking what you are doing out there in practice and doing it on the field in game time. I think that is what this is all about right now. They have seen us practice for quite a while, going all the way back to March. Now it is just a matter of who is going to take that and put it out there during a game."

On how much he will play Saturday:
"From what I understand, it is going to be very similar to last week, just switched."

On how his game is different than Hill’s:
"I don’t know. We are different players, we are different people, we are going to do things differently. We see things differently, we have different strengths. We do different things, so I don’t know. Probably another question better for the coaches because they might see things differently."

On what he thinks the competition will come down to:
"In the end, I think it is going to be the person who best executes the offense, the person who leads this offense and goes out there and is most consistent and gives us the best chance to win. I think in the end, it is going to come down to that."