Crabtree Does Better Than Naysayers

With Michael Crabtree missing the first five games of the regular season to a protracted contract, so-called experts said that the wide receiver's rookie season with the 49ers would be a washout, that there was no way he could contribute to their 2009 campaign. Definitely not true as he went on to be tied for fifth among rookie wideouts with 45 receptions, for 567 yards and two touchdowns. That averages out to 4.5 receptions for 56.7 yards per game, the second-best yardage average per game among first-year receivers. His play, though, has been excellent, marred only by seven dropped passes (according to Stats, Inc.). On the field, Crabtree is a fine route-runner with a knack for snatching passes out of the air where other receivers extend their arms in anticipation of the ball.

All-Decade Offense Team

Since the decade is coming to a close and everybody is making their own decade team I decided to make one. Here's my all-decade team (skilled offense):


QB:

1. Vince Young (Threw for over 6,000 yards and 44 touchdowns and also ran for over 3,100 and 37 touchdowns)
2. Ken Dorsey (Second-leading passer of all-time with 9,565 yards with 86 touchdown passes. led the Hurricanes through one of the most dominant stretches)
3. Tim Tebow (Tebow has accounted for 8,800 yards passing, 2,900 yards rushing, 141 touchdowns, 34 wins as a starter)

RB:

1. Reggie Bush (Bush registered an almost unbelievable 8.7 yards per carry and 222 all-purpose yards per game)
2. Adrian Peterson (Peterson missed11 games over his last two seasons but still ran over 4,000 yards and 41 touchdowns in just three years)
3. Darren McFadden (Heisman runner-up amassed 4,590 rushing yards in three seasons and 41 touchdowns)

WR:

1. Larry Fitzgerald (2nd Heisman voting for a 92-catch, 22-touchdown season as just a sophomore)
2. Michael Crabtree (134-catch, 1,962-yard, 22-touchdown effort that smashed every freshman record in 2007)
3. Calvin Johnson (Finished with nearly 3,000 yards and 28 touchdowns in three years imagine if he had a QB)
4. Andre Johnson (Finished at UMiami career catching 92 passes for 1,831 yards (19.9 avg.) and 20 touchdowns)

TE:

1. Kellen Winslow (Winslow set Miami records for a tight end with 57 receptions for 726 yards)

The Drama Finally Over!

And so it happened, as a months-long standoff turned into whirlwind negotiations. The sides broke their silence Sunday and quickly hammered out a six-year deal that includes $17 million in guaranteed money. Crabtree's contract was complete by about 2 a.m. Wednesday morning. By about 1 p.m., he was on the 49ers' practice field. The No. 10 pick in April's draft will not play in Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons. After the bye week, he could make his debut Oct. 25 against the Houston Texans. For now, Crabtree is just happy to put the prolonged negotiations behind him. "It's a humbling experience," he said. "I feel like going through that, it made me look at the world a different way, look at my teammates a different way. Hopefully, it works out for the best." Michael Crabtree may think he can jump right into the mix with the San Francisco 49ers, in which he is so wrong. The big thing will be how fast he can pick up the game in the NFL.

Time To Sign

The greatest wide receiver of all time had some advice Sunday for the player who insists he was the greatest wide receiver in the April draft: It's high time you signed your contract. "This guy's way behind, way behind," Jerry Rice said of Michael Crabtree. "I'm talking the speed of the game, everything. If they brought him in right now, I don't think he's going to be ready to play." Crabtree, meanwhile, missed his second regular-season game Sunday when the 49ers defeated Seattle 23-10. The 49ers have offered the No. 10 overall draft pick a five-year contract worth roughly $20 million overall with $16 million guaranteed. Crabtree reportedly is seeking a contract better than that of No. 7 pick Darrius Heyward-Bey, who signed a five-year deal with $23.5 million guaranteed with the Raiders. The 49ers are considering lowering their offer. "There's no way I would have held out during the regular season," Rice said. "I was like, 'Just get it done so I can get back in there with my team and try to win football games and make this team a better team.' " His sense of what is holding up Crabtree's deal? "I think the thing is right now he has maybe too many people in his ear," Rice said.

Crabtree Saga

Michael Smith and Todd McShay discuss Michael Crabtree on ESPN:

Stalemate

The 49ers' contract offer to Crabtree and his agent, Eugene Parker, is believed to be in the neighborhood of 5 yrs, $20 M and $16 M guaranteed. The 49ers first made what coach Mike Singletary has described as a "fair proposal" to Crabtree in late June, in hopes of getting him to report to training camp on time. And that contract will probably end up being very close to what he ends up signing [if he ends up signing] with the possibility the numbers could escalate accordingly if the sides agree to a six-year deal. Crabtree and his agent, Eugene Parker, know the 49ers offer, and the 49ers are not willing to move from this deal. 49ers have offered Crabtree a contract that fits in line with what the No. 10 overall pick would've normally expected to receive this year, if this were a normal No. 10 pick in a normal year. Ultimately, the player is responsible. The agent works for the player. If the player wanted to sign the contract and report to training camp, he would've done it long ago. It was also heard that Parker has privately told the 49ers that their offer is fair.

Greedy WR

The 49ers have a challenge to sign first-round selection Michael Crabtree this week for the beginning of training camp. ProFootballTalk.com reported Parker has much higher expectations than a contract commensurate with the 10th overall selection under the theory Crabtree should have been a top-five selection. The receiver from Texas Tech was a No. 10 overall draft pick but he is seeking top 3 money.If Crabtree gets top 3 money at No. 10, then the picks around him such as Moreno [who was selected at No. 12 overall] would negotiate their contracts accordingly. Other news out of the Crabtree camp, the superstar-in-waiting has signed with Jordan Brand. At least Crabtree's early career, he'll be a Nike guy.

Future QBs

The 49ers have two first-round picks in the 2010 draft, and they would be wise to assess their needs this season before deciding the best way to use those selections.The 49ers traded their second-round pick to the Panthers in April for their first-round selection in 2010. The 49ers looked at the Panthers' 2009 schedule and were struck by its on-paper difficulty. After all, the Panthers have road games against the Falcons, Cowboys, Buccaneers, Cardinals, Saints, Patriots and Giants. Niners fans will be rooting against the Panthers this season. The organization felt the trade was the best way of getting into an ideal position for next year. And the 2010 draft is shaping up as potentially a good year to select a QB. Among those who could be first-round picks in 2010 are seniors Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow, and underclassmen Sam Bradford. This is bad but I hope they fail because it would be something to see any of those three QBs with Crabtree and Veron Davis. Whew!

out of San Fran By the time the 49ers return home from their third exhibition game at Dallas on Aug. 29, they will know who their starting quarterback will be for 2009.That is as specific a timetable as coach Mike Singletary has given regarding the looming training camp competition between Shaun Hill and Alex Smith for the starting job, although nothing is in stone as he said "hopefully by the third preseason game."

Predicted Season

Whatifsports has simulated this NFL season and their results were that the Super Bowl will be a repeat of Super Bowl XXXIX which was the Pats vs Eagles. The results were that the bonus McNabb received help motivate him to win his first Super Bowl. The game was a high scoring game that went to the wire with the Eagles pulling out the win 34-31. The Pats trailing 34-31 with 1:21 remaining and the ball on their own 34, Brady helps New England pick up 37 yards in less than a minute. Facing a fourth and four with 33 seconds to go, another Philadelphia rookie, defensive back Victor "Macho" Harris, blitzes from the blind side and gets to the frantic quarterback before he can release the ball. The Eagles had other rookies like McCoy and Cornelius Ingram to step up and score touchdowns. The playoffs look similar to last year but you have [what I feel] 3 surprise teams [Cowboys, Texans, & Saints]. The seedings are as follow:

NFC AFC

1. Steelers 1. Eagles

2. Pats 2. Cards

3. Colts 3. Vikings [w|o Favre]

4. Chargers 4. Saints

5. Jets 5. Cowboys

6. Texans 6. Giants

Oh and they predicted the Lions to win actually 5 games this season.

MVP - Adrian Peterson

Off POY - Drew Brees

Def POY - DeMarcus Ware

Off ROY - Michael Crabtree

Def ROY - Aaron Curry

Coach - Rex Ryan

Rookie Update

We have not heard much from the guy pictured above because he is trying to comeback from his ankle surgery. As of right now on the depth chart, Michael Crabtree is listed as the 2nd string X receiver, behind Josh Morgan [who is turning unto a good young receiver]. Crabtree is ready to start to make an impact for the Niners but he has to wait until he is cleared [which looks to be by the time camp starts]. If Crabtree learns the playbook well enough, I feel they will have him and Josh Morgan on the field at the same time. Crabtree just better fall behind Heyward-Bey in Oakland because he is working hard everyday. As of right now Crabtree is just a backup with tons of potential. 

First Impression

Yesterday was Darrius Heyward-Bey's first day of mini camp. The most critized draft pick of this year's draft was in good spirit after this first day. His is still very raw with his receiver skills but his potential is unlimited. He did line up with the first team offense when they went 11-on-11 drills. When lined up against Nnamdi Asomugha, he was read easily and the pass was broken up. But I mean I do not fault him for that, Asomugha is a Pro Bowl corner. But against the 2nd team and 3rd team, he did do this thing. I do agree with Heyward-Bey, if he could redshirt it would be great. Since the Raiders need help and fast, he will be thrown into the lineup and be counted to do big things. We can't forget bout the Great Bay Area Wideout Debate [Crabtree]. He will have that on his shoulder for the rest of his careers. It has gone even far as comparing them two to Lebron James and Kobe Bryant. Whoa! I'm not so quite sure about that yet, but maybe in two or three years. The Raiders [if they get all the pieces together] could be something special.

NFL Draft Review Pt.1

VS.

The first topic and maybe the hottest of the draft is pick #7 in which the Raiders, 

[who have only won 24 games since 'o3], drafted Darruis Heyward-Bey from

Maryland over Michael [Mr. Biletnikoff Award] Crabtree. First off this is not bashing

Heyward-Bey by no means. He was one of my favorite wideouts in the ACC because he

was so fast. The problem with the pick is, why would you pick the 3rd best receiver over

the number 1 who has produced the past two seasons. I mean, I know Crabtree doesn't blaze

by anybody, but he has a nose for the end-zone and is a playmaker. Even though I am not a numbers guy this is jaw-dropping.

"Heyward-Bey caught just 13 touchdown passes in three seasons at Maryland, never reaching 800 yards receiving in a season. He had career lows last season with 42 catches for 609 yards to go with his five TD catches. While Crabtree caught 97 passes for 1,165 yards and 19 touchdowns last season at Texas Tech."

Things like that sells tickets and help u win more than 24 games in six years [less than the Lions (26)!?!]. Who knows though, this maybe the smartest pick in a few years if Crabtree is indeed a "system" receiver. The odds are not too high that it would happened. The point is the Raiders could have gotten him a little later and instead they gave the 49ers a possible Jerry Rice Hall of Famer. Good luck to both receivers though, especially to Mr. Crabtree who does not have a starting QB yet. And I hope Heyward-Bey has a great career in Oakland and is not a bust.