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On Wednesday, 49ers Pro Bowl cornerback Carlos Rogers stepped to the podium and spoke to the media. Rogers has quickly become a well-respected member of the 49ers community, as a productive veteran leader in the league's No. 1 defense.
In Santa Clara, Rogers touched on the 49ers defense but his more interesting comments came when he discussed San Francisco's wide receivers. The veteran defensive back spoke highly about two particular receivers, Randy Moss and Michael Crabtree.
In training camp, interaction with the receivers is a regular part of Rogers' day. He has one of the closer eyes on the competition at wide receiver, and is a high enough caliber player to provide his perspective.
For Carlos Rogers' insight on San Francisco's top two projected receivers in 2012, please continue after the jump.
On Crabtree:
He's healthy, he's competing, he's playing -- he looks a lot faster. I don't know if he's lost weight or working with a different trainer, but he looks a lot faster. He's smarter, and he understands defenses a lot better and what he's got to do to get open.
On Crabtree's hands:
I'd put him up there with Larry Fitzgerald. There's a lot of receivers that can catch that ball. When coach talks about hands, he's talking about strictly hands, not all these body catches, he's talking about hands at each and every position. That's why I put Crabtree up there with Larry Fitzgerald and some of them.
That's mostly what it is, snagging the ball that comes to their area. And it seems like, when you're talking about him, that he doesn't put much effort into it. A lot of guys struggle with certain balls, and Crabtree, sometimes I see him he can be running across the field, the ball comes, he can catch it and still be looking in his direction to make a move."
On Moss:
Every guy is different. Randy is a tall guy, I wouldn't say a big receiver, he's a tall guy - a crafty veteran. If there is one thing about him, you can be on him and most times you play guys eyes or play their hands; Randy is a good guy in that he's not going to show you nothing. You know, he'll let the ball fall into his chest before he puts his hand up.
We continue to get positive feedback regarding the 49ers new-look offense. Rogers eluded to some things about the 49ers receivers that would lead us to believe they can be a productive tandem in 2012. Crabtree and Moss have a complementary skill set that should work in their favor this coming season. It is a work in progress, but so far so good.