Michael Crabtree non-update: Believe Nothing

Since he’ll be a non factor this year by and large, and may get hurt again if he starts in without preparation, I hope he signs after the Nov. deadline. That would maximize the opportunity for the team to trade him (while he still has mystique) if they could get a sufficient draft pick or player. If not, they could put him into training camp as a rookie.

I’m not believing anything until either the team or Crabtree speak publicly.

hard to believe. But at this point it looks like he really thinks the offer the Niners put out there was not good enough (and/or he never wanted to play here in the first place). If he was gonna cave at any point, you would think it would be before he missed a game check. Now that he has, it seems unlikely that he’ll change his mind and sign. We need to trade him after Mar 1 and at least get something back. What a terrible terrible waste of a top 10 pick.

The system is completely broken, as it’s been repeatedly demonstrated. Players can essentially play where they want, when they want, and if they don’t get their way they can just hold out.

His cousin around 40 days ago said he would sit out the season.
Eric Davis has reported he would be willing to sit out the season.
Deion Sanders said he thinks he will sit out the season.
All other reports say the team and Crabtree are nowhere near a contract and indications are Crabtree is willing to sit out the season.

The season started and he is still sitting. I think the situation has been fairly clear and consistent. He is going to sit out unless the team offers DHB money.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/09/14/crabtree-is-getting-nervous/

Does it ever end?

honestly just dont know whats gonna happen

The way the wide receivers played yesterday, though, I think all the pressure lies with Crabtree. Morgan played well, we all know Bruce can still bring a little bit to the table, and Battle will always be that dependable third receiver. Crabtree is pretty much ruining his money-making potential, if not his career, by sitting out this season. I applaud the 49ers for taking a hard stance, and I hope they make Crabtree make the concession.

ruined this FO…Back in the early Nolan era, they’d have rolled a Brinks truck over to Crabby’s southbay crib and made a drop…NOW, they want to pretend they’re smarter than that…but Mike Crabtree and Alice Smith are not comparable, imo

Either Crabtree will start getting anxious watching the team play, or some of the teams that just saw poor performances by their WRs in week 1 may try to work a trade (Bears, although I don’t like the idea of Cutler and Crabtree on the same team in the NFC). Either way, I don’t think Crabtree would be stupid enough to sit out the entire season.

Other than the fact that the 49ers don’t have their top pick on the field, they hold the upper hand.

IF and its a really big IF Crabtree signs… I think his play will be limited. Singletary will not be in favor of Crabtree playing a bunch because he was not:

A.) WITH THE TEAM THROUGH THE OFFSEASON DRILLS, PRESEASON, ETC
B.) I THINK THAT THE PERCEPTION OF MOST IS THAT CRABTREE IS LOOKING OUT FOR NUMBER ONE
C.) SINGLETARY IS ALL ABOUT “SHOW ME” WHAT HAS CRABTREE SHOWN THUS FAR?
D.) CRABTREE WILL STILL HAVE TO LEARN THE PLAYBOOK AND RECEIVER IS ONE OF THE HARDEST POSITIONS TO LEARN AT THE NFL LEVEL

There are many more reasons that IF he signs, he will not be a factor this season. With all the talks about possible strike and players association negotiations going on and the possibility of a strike in 2011, Crabtree would be completely dumb not to sign with the Niners. I’m not sure what he is waiting for…Fooch brings up valid points in that WHY would he be in the Bay and WHY would he be catching passes from Trent Dilfer…I think he signs, but I think he sits for a while…he won’t be ready. AND if he is a factor, it wont be until late late in the season.

Where are you hiding at, we’re talking about your boy. Crabtree is like a greek god, here in Texas, and that’s the problem. it’s here in texas. This douche bag will not sign with the 49ers, becase he is an idiot. Who would turn down aguaranteed 16 million dollars in 5 years. That’s plenty money and enough to last 5 people a lifetime. We drafted him, and I was pissed, but we drated him, I don’t think he will play but we wasted the pick and we need to sign him, Lets get something done!

But I recall stating on this site the day of the draft that Crabtree did not seem happy to be drafted by the 49ers and my main point was that when I heard him talk he did not seem like a very intelligent person.

Jed York is winning the Crabtree fiasco, not he has to prove his worth as an owner by making a move. It’s amazing, given the Yorks’ history with the franchise, that no one — NO ONE — is calling for the Yorks’ heads because they were too cheap to sign Crabtree. Jed York should not offer him more money, but he should meet with him and his agent and work out something that will help crabtree save face — maybe toss in some incentives or something. It doesn’t help the niners to make him a pariah in the eyes of the fans. The kid has obvious talent, and can help us a lot in the future. We’re also going to get two draft choices next year, so we could have a strong nucleus for the future. But York has to realize that if the sides become even more entrenched, we could lose a valuable asset for the team. We’re not so swimming in talent that we can afford to do that.

For every game he misses, I hope the Niners prorate his contract.. Niners put the offer on the table and its been collecting frost….now that the season has started Crabtree is getting nervous….he’s just now beggining to realize he had no leverage or barganing power….personally I think that this is all the handy work of his arrogant agent Eugene Parker. I’m sure some of it has been Crabtree, but in most cases, once an agent is signed, the trust belongs to them.

If he re-enters the draft….I cannot see him getting drafted higher than 20….then what type of money will he demand???

I know it’s well within Goodall’s right to place an exemption and allow the 49ers a 2-3 week window to trade Crabtree. Does anyone imagine him doing this? Or will we have to wait until March?

i think two things about crabtree’s holdout:

1) after reading this article two weeks go, which is the best thing i’ve read so far on the subject, it’s an unassailable fact that crabtree is losing money every day that he’s not signed by the 49ers. there’s simply no possible scenario in which he ever sees more money in his rookie contract than what the 49ers are offering him right now. essentially, his negotiating leverage increased every day until the deadline for trading his rights, at which point his negotiating leverage began decreasing every day. the 49ers can’t trade him or his rights, and he can’t work out or talk to any other teams. at this point, his resume now has no individual workouts, no 40-time, no recent game tape, all previous diva baggage, and this holdout fiasco, so no team in their right mind is going to draft him anywhere in the top 20 picks in 2010. maybe al davis, not being in his right mind, would take him, but if he didn’t take crabtree this year, why would he take him next year at a similar draft slot (assuming OAK doesn’t go 10-6 or better)? and what complicates it even more is that the 2010 draft will be deeper at WR than what it was in 2009. crabtree could easily find himself being drafted in the 2nd round next year. and even if he’s drafted 33rd (i.e., 1st pick in 2nd round), he stands to get a contract with about $8 million guaranteed, which is half of the $16 million guaranteed the 49ers are currently offering him.

2) mcloughan is not to blame at all for any of this. first, he was perfectly justified taking crabtree at 10. in fact, if he wouldn’t have taken him at 10, that would have been an epic drafting fail from a value perspective. obviously, like poker, drafting is a game of incomplete information. knowing what he knew at the time, crabtree was a great pick at 10. also, like in poker, you try to make the correct decision given the information you have, and then hope for the best when the next card is dealt. at the time, mccloughan could only control his decision-making, so, given what he knew, he made the right choice. the ensuing shitty result wasn’t under his control, and there’s no use in dwelling over bad luck. in the long run, hitting a home run every time in the draft is impossible, but making a good decision every time is possible. that’s what matters.

second, mccloughan’s made a good faith offer to crabtree that is above the going rate for the #10 slot.

so, bottom line for me is that crabtree is an idiot for continuing to hold out after the trade deadline, and mcloughan shouldn’t be gettng ripped for drafting him regardless of how this turns out.

as far as what i think is going to happen, it seems to me that precisely because crabtree is a typical money-hungry pro athlete, he will sign eventually with the 49ers. when all you want is more money, then losing money every day of a continued holdout becomes a self-defeating exercise. in the language of money, sitting out the season is likely to be a 50% loss.

But Goodell has been somewhat of a trendsetter in the NFL.

Looks like I’m a little late to the party, since I just recently started following NN, but I have some thoughts on the situation I figured I’d share. Apologies if any of my thoughts have been discussed before.

I was pretty excited when Crabtree fell to us, as I’m a college football fan, and saw his talent first hand the previous year. I kept waiting for him to sign…and it never happened. And as he held out, I lost a lotta respect for the guy. Most people would kill to play in the NFL and have his kind of talent. How many people would turn down a top-10 draft spot because they won’t be top-3? That’s absurd! So, yeah, I’m pretty astonished that Crabs is being so dumb and blowing his chance at being a star in the NFL. On the other hand, I think the Niners could really use him down the road. He’s a talent, and anytime you have a chance to add a talent like his to the roster, than you really should. So I’m torn. Part of me wants to tell him to eff off, and best of luck getting drafted in the 2nd round next season. But part of me still wants him to be a Niner and help us win.

In the end, I think the Niners are deep enough at receiver (When Jones gets back, especially) that they don’t NEED to have him. Which puts them in the stronger position. Also, now that the games have started, Crabtree will start to see game checks disappear. This isn’t insignificant. And if the Niners continue to do well, and he sees a team on the field playing well and winning…I could see him wanting to get out there asap. I think we’ll see him sign the original contract the Niners have left on the table sooner rather than later.

Whether we sign him or not, this was still the right pick by the Niners at number 10. No one thought he would be there at 10 (including Crabtree himself, it seems), and was a steal at that position. If Crabtree is holding out because of his dilusions of being the best player in the draft before proving anything, there’s nothing the Niners can do about that. If they give in, they’ll be walked over by rookies in the future…by free agents in the future…etc. The Niners’ front office has played this as well as I think they could have. I have a feeling we’ll see Crabtree sign sooner rather than later.

There might be a new offer coming up…

Between the offer that has been on the table (if reports are accurate) and Raji’s deal. I hope the new offer doesn’t go outside of that wiggle room. Maybe they are going to lower it?

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP)—Coach Mike Singletary said Monday the San Francisco 49ers have discussed changing their offer to top draft pick Michael Crabtree(notes).

Whether the franchise has reached out to the former Texas Tech star formally, Singletary wasn’t sure. He has asked the brass to keep him completely out of it so he can focus on the 53 players he has on the active roster.

"At this time in the year, that may be the case," Singletary said of making a new offer. "At this point, the whole Crabtree thing, it’s over there. I’m focused over here."

The 49ers beat the reigning NFC champion Arizona Cardinals 20-16 on Sunday.

Crabtree, the 10th overall pick in April’s draft who turned 22 on Monday, hasn’t accepted the 49ers’ offer for approximately five years and $20 million with a reported $16 million guaranteed—instead seeking money comparable to the higher picks.

Oakland Raiders receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey(notes), the No. 7 choice, signed a five-year contract that will guarantee him at least $23.5 million.

Jacksonville Jaguars top pick Eugene Monroe(notes), taken eighth overall, signed a five-year, $25 million contract that includes $19 million guaranteed.

Twice in the last month, and as recently as Sunday, reports have surfaced that Crabtree would re-enter the draft in 2010 and wait for the money he thinks he deserves.

Crabtree would be way behind if he did join the Niners. He missed key days of development during a rigorous training camp. He also sat out the 49ers’ offseason minicamps and organized team activities while recovering from a foot injury, but was a regular presence at team headquarters for rehabilitation and strengthening workouts.

Crabtree caught 97 passes for 1,165 yards and 19 touchdowns last year during his sophomore season at Texas Tech. He finished his college career with 231 receptions for 3,127 yards and 41 TDs.

Bruce, Battle, Morgan AND Jones All Day!

Flat out… Crabtree is a bum and will end up playing in the CFL with that other bum, Pacman.

give me more Panthers Watch 2009

… That Sing happens to drop in the line today about a ‘modified’ offer. On the same day that Jones is said to be fit again, earlier than expected, and one day after we win a game on the road at last year’s Conference champions. The 49ers have played this one beautifully from the start. They know he doesn’t want to be in SF and they will keep backing him into a corner whereby they get a major talent at a good price or trade him. I’ve said it before, but we’ll end up getting a whole new team at next yer’s draft.

Crabtree can go to hell.

the years on the contract = problem solved for both sides.

2 years 8 million 5 gauranteed and throw in some incentives. That is how much our starting QB is making this year. I think thats pretty fair. Then he can bail or stay depending on how he feels at the end of the 2 years

I like these guys over Crabtree anyday

Use all the money that was supposed to go to Crabs and just go ahead and extend Willis for 10 more years.

If he doesn’t sign and March 1 comes around, how do we trade this hemorrhoid? I mean, sure some teams might still want him, but they can’t give him what he wants. Our already dysfunctional draft system would be so FUBAR, it could be crippling. Don’t like your draft slot? Don’t like the team who selected you? Just take a year off. Sign a few endorsement deals, that will keep you afloat unil next year. That has to be what he is banking on, because re-entering the draft won’t get him more money.

What prevents this douche nozzle from waiting until after the draft and doing private workouts with teams? I mean, couldn’t he play it like an undrafted free agent. At this point he is no longer a collegiate player. I guess the same problem applies as the scenario in my question above, but what prevents a player from doing that?

Who the hell knows what is going on, I don’t think he will sign simply because he can’t face the players and fans. Douche bag!

If Crabs really believe he’s as good as his ego says; Then let his extra money be in performing incentives so that both sides are happy …. How could Crabs refuse if his vanity says he worth it and the 49ers can’t lose because he would have to perform and meet the performing incentives?

Crabtree has left the bay are and the Niners were lowering the offer!!

Now I am almost sure that J Jones has tampered with this issue. Crabtree is worshiped here in Texas, not by me, but he is loved around these parts. Jerry will pay a player to sell tickets and merchandse and people believe he is an exceptional Wideout. He will be in a Cowboys jersey, and Deion is in the middle of it, (site decorum) Panzy

Crabtree sits out, reenters draft.
Is signed in the 4th round by… THE FORTY NINERS

ESPN just reported that he has left the bay area moving back to Texas.
We took money off the contract amount.

I think it’s official guys. No Crabtree

49ers haven’t made any decisions about whether to reduce their offer to Crabtree. They’ve discussed that option, along with other options. 36 minutes ago

Maybe he thought the Niners were gonna throw in some more chips as a B-day present and we folded instead and took some chips back to make a point…and when he saw that, he was like "punks, i’m out" 2010 draft here I come.

I can here it now…
And for the (74th pick in the third round) the St. Louis Rams select…. Michael Crabtree….from the….from the? Well…. ah, nevermind.

Peace crabby….good luck with that

I really doubt that the Niners would just let him go without getting anything for him. Somebody would be willing to trade us a pick for him and try to sign him. Or we could grant permission to the team offering the pick to negotiate a deal with him before agreeing to the deal. I don’t think we just let him walk.

Michael Crabtree(notes), the tenth overall pick in the NFL draft this summer by the San Francisco 49ers, isn’t having the kind of autumn he envisioned, one imagines.

You figure that the wide receiver once dreamed of actually making some incredible catches in his first year in the league. But instead he’s still sitting around in a contract holdout, which appears to be costing him his reputation and a whole lot of money.

The San Francisco 49ers have apparently reduced their offer to Crabtree, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Michael Silver, and the team may keep reducing it each week that he doesn’t play. The initial reduction is reportedly for $200,000.

The 49ers are apparently willing to pay Crabtree up to one dollar less than what the No. 9 pick, Green Bay Packers defensive tackle B.J. Raji(notes), who supposedly got a five-year deal for $28.5 million with almost $18 million guaranteed. But Crabtree supposedly wants more than that and is willing to sit out the season for it.

Niners head coach Mike Singletary admitted that offering pay reduction to Crabtree had been discussed but wasn’t sure if the deed had actually been done, according to the San Jose Mercury News: “At this time in the year, that may be the case. I’m not sure,” Singletary told the paper. “I didn’t want to hear about it any more after last Friday. I said, ‘Hey, do what you have to do. I’m focused over here.’”