Eric Davis, a former 49er and current game analyst at KPIX in San Francisco, believes Michael Crabtree is serious about sitting out the season. Davis reportedly has an "in" with Crabtree's camp, possibly former teammate Deion Sanders. Said Davis: "When I first heard of this situation, I said, 'No way.' But after talking to people within his camp after getting to know a little bit more about his background ... he seems to have a circle around him that are comfortable with him sitting out. It could actually happen."

My understanding is that if Crabtree doesn't sign with San Fran, and they can't/don't trade him to a team that does sign him. Then, yes, he re-enters the draft in 2010. The truly moronic thing about this whole affair is that I can't imagine he'll get top 5 money in 2010 either after being difficult this year. I highly doubt that he won't get signed somewhere, that would be stupid for all parties.

Wouldn't he be further down the draft next year after not playing football an entire year? Doesn't make much sense.

But then he could get drafted by a team that was actually good. Maybe the NYG!

Really a strange situation. Maybe he just doesn't want to play for the 49ers. Is he free to sign w/another league?

From my understanding the 49ers own him until the 2010 draft. So if the Niners keep him on the roster but not pay him anything he cannot play, practice, workout or even entertain any ideas of doing anything football related until then. The Niners get no compensation for this unless they trade him away for draft picks next year.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think Bo Jackson sat out a year after being taken 1st overall by the Bucs only to be drafted in the 7th round the following year by the Raiders. Now I know that falling to the 7th round surely had something to do with the fact he was playing for the Royals but that is a huge drop. Not sure how many of you are old enough to have actually been able to see Bo play but he was the best running back I have ever seen. IMO. Crabtree is no Bo. This would be a tremendous mistake if Crabtree follows through with it. Suck it up, be a pro and play. This seems very short sighted IMO. If he just plays he will earn that extra 2 million or so he is whinning about on his next deal. You are being paid a obscene amount of money to play a game. Stop acting entitled. You have proven nothing... and it's still a game. You did not find the cure for cancer, you catch footballs.

These guys make me sick.

How much is he holding out for again? I'm sure it less then the total he would make for playing this year....

I don't know if he'd get drafted in the first round in 2010. Some team might be tempted because his playmaker score (Football Outsiders) put's him in that rare category. But, unfortunately his knucklehead score is also skyrocketing. And, if he sits out his eating Cheetos and playing playstation score ECPPS will likely rise too.

I think the Niners have offered up 20 Million. TWENTY MILLION!!!!!?!?!?!?! From what reports are saying Crabtree's camp is looking for 7 Mil more in guarantees.

That is flat out ridiculous. I hope he turns out to be a Charles Rodgers or gets traded to the Jets and turns into Jerry Rice

You are right about Bo, mostly. At the time of the 2nd draft it was unsure if he would play football at all, which was why he went so late. He was telling most teams he was gonna stay in baseball. I'm sure that he did secretly tell some teams, including the Raiders obviously, that he would play for them, so Oakland (or LA at the time) didn't have to spend a higher pick on him.

The Niners cannot trade him. Teams can only trade the rights to players (which is all they have right now) till the beginning of training camp. They have to sign him before February (I believe) or they will lose him.
Also, he could go play somewhere else, but where? The new league is trying to work with the NFL, so I doubt they will allow one of their teams to sign him.

No way does Crabtree receive more money if he re-enters the draft. Good riddance to this kid, greediness will get him nowhere and will likely fall to the 2nd round next year. Good luck getting 3 million guaranteed next year Crabtree.

He would absolutely drop like a rock. That's the stupid thing about him holding out; he thinks he can hold out and get drafted in the top 3 next year. Just the opposite will happen. He'll be a second day pick.

Regardless, if Crabtree sits out, the 49ers will own his rights up until he's re-drafted. This means the 49ers don't have to let him work out for other teams or advertise himself in any way. I don't think Crabtree understands that. If Eugene Parker is totally innocent in this holdout situation as he claims to be, then he needs to pull Crabtree off to one side and whisper two words: "Bo Jackson." Selected 1st overall in 1986 by Tampa, didn't sign, and was drafted in the 7th round the next year by the Raiders.

Even if Crabtree signed right now, he would be completely useless as far as this year goes. He's missed all of camp and most of the preseason. He simply wouldn't suit up for games.

Screw this idiot. I thought it was such a steal when we got him but now its just a nightmare. If he sits out all season, he will be picked even lower next year and have a lower guaranteed contract offer. He and his "circle" are absolutely dumb and I hope he fails miserably in life.

Al Davis = Genius

No Al Davis would have paid him whatever he wanted and this wouldnt be a problem.

Took him number 1 overall in my dynasty league rookie draft like a month after the NFL draft, regretting that a little at the moment. As people have stated above he will gain nothing by holding out, for one the 49ers wont cave in as they have no reason to, and two if he were to sit out the whole year he will be lucky to be a top 20 pick. Crabtree is only hurting himself by missing time/reps and in the long run will make less money because of his stupid choices. He should have learned from the Maurice Clarett/ Mike Williams experiment, sitting out a season regardless of how good you are is not a good idea. Williams like Crabtree was advertised as "cant miss" but after a year off he still got drafted relatively high but in his case he wasnt considered a "Diva" like Crabtree is now and will have huge question mark by his name for his attitude and character if he were to re-enter next years draft.

I was a little upset at all the bad press the kid was getting even though mutiple picks other than him were holding out but werent gettign bashed (at the time Maybin, Moreno, Smith) but now I see why he got the negative press. Oh well hopefully the kid signs and will be usefull for my fantasy team next season.

I hope the 49ers stick to their guns on this one.

Supposedly he was very open about not wanting to be a raider, and he wonders why he was drafted so late.

Last I'd read someone associated with him said he'd be signing sometime in September. Forget about him this year in redrafts unless you have a deep bench and you can stash him with the hopes that he's in good graces and starting by your fantasy playoffs. I'm really disappointed that he's being either this greedy or misdirected that he lost out on a chance to win a starting role and make a contribution this season. That said, if he signs and proves his worth, it won't hurt his long-term value.

If he sat out ill 2010 and got drafted again, i dont think he wouuld fall too much. He would still be the best WR available in the draft, just with a year off. But it doesnt matter. This happens every once in a while and the player usually NEVER holds out an entire season. He'll be in at some point. I think a wr some years ago sat out the first 11 games or something(mcardell or somebody like that), but then he came in. I doubt he sits out the whole year, they never do. Bo did it cause he had baseball and the Bucs were the worst franchise in pro sports history at the time..

I dont know if this has been alluded to, but this is all Al Davis's fault...He took a guy who never shoulda been drafted next to crabtree and gave him over a 20% raise from the previous years player at the #7 spot... This is a time of recession and al davis is giving incredible raises to guys who coulda gone at the end of the round. Just pathetic.. Somebody outta take him out of his misery already

Another point to think about in whether the holdout will be resolved is what the 49ers have to lose if this falls through. We're talking about a guy that was tabbed somewhere around 3rd-5th overall in most mocks and most ratings had him as a top 3 overall player in this draft. Unless I'm very wrong, I don't believe the NFL is like the MLB so if the 49ers fail to sign Crabtree they won't get anything in return. Talk about ways to infuriate a fan base. Get what a lot of people viewed as the early steal of the first round and then let him go back to the draft. That won't sit well.

I'm not saying Crabtree's actions are acceptable. By all means the guy needs to get on the field, but of the two sides here I actually think the 49ers have more to lose. If they can sign Crabtree they end up with a talented young WR duo, a franchise type RB and an improving Defense. Add to that a QB either in FA or with next year's first rounder and they've got a shot to be very good for quite a while. Let him go and they basically trade the 10th overall pick in this season's draft for an undrafted FA. Something will get done here. I'd but a fairly good amount of money Crabtree will not be in next year's draft.

I find it really sad, I really liked this kid at TT (never played WR in high school, was an option QB and all state basketball player, Leach gave him a scholarship on athletic ability along and taught him how to play WR) but it seems like he's getting some really sh1tty advice from his family and "advisors". I'm pretty sure the same kid who "cried when Singletary made him quit running routes" because the doctors hadn't cleared him yet is not the one ringleading this holdout, but he's the one who's gonna suffer the most.

Well, him and my dynasty squad that drafted him in the 2nd round.

Crabtree will sign in my opinion. Jamarcus didn't sign until September 11th a few years back. If Crabtree signs in the next week or so he will still contribute this season. It isn't like he has to learn complex schemes as a WR...just run the routes and block when he needs to. He won't be quite as good this year, but he will still be able to contribute. No way Crabtree risks it all to sit out a year...

So its Al Davis' fault that they got their pick signed and in camp? You don't know where DHB would have been drafted and if he was going to be available at the end of the round. Al Davis obviously made the right pick. DHB is playing and had a good 1st camp, and Crabby is crying like a little bitch because the other kids got more toys. If anything he needs to blame his PR crew. Or maybe he just NEEDS a big payday becasue he knows his stats were a product of the system. Just saying. He got drafted 10th, take 10th money.

Right, just like Wes Welker's were. Only he doubled Welker's production @ TT, so he should be twice as good as a pro, by your logic. Hello, future yearly #1 overall pick, all formats.

Sheesh.

Anyone got any opinion on this? Just noticed on Yahoo! rankings that he went from a 97 rank to the 1700's. Seems to be they are giving up faith on him. Does anyone else think this as well?

He's done for the year. Useless for fantasy purposes... Even if he were to sign today, it would be nearly imposssible for a rookie WR to come in right now and make any type of ipact at all. Zero chance that he is anything worth owning this year. I can remember back during workouts when this guy was crying cause Singletary wouldnt let him do some drills. Turns out this guy didnt want to play to bad after all. Wasted year crabtree.Good job

Wow, just wow. playing WR in the NFL isn't that easy, there is a huge learning curve for WR in the NFL generally.

100 percent. I think it is tough for an experienced WR to change teams at this point and learn a new system and learn his routes and develop chemistry with a QB. Just look at Roy Williams last year. A pretty good WR with a good offense and he had a total of 200 yards receiving in 10 games for Dallas.

For a rookie like Crabtree playing for a bad team with bad QBs, makes him pretty much worthless to carry at this point. And even the best WR's like Calvin Johnson and Fitzgerald couldn't break 1000 yards their rookie year.

THe last WR that i recall that came on to the scene as a rookie to be very productive was Randy Moss and he doesn't count because he isn't human.

He should be signed before the season opener and will slowly be worked into the offense. I don't see him being a fantasy contributor this year, although (if signed) he should be seeing plenty of game action in the second half of the season.

I tend to agree that Crabtree is a product of the TT system and don't think he is going to be all that in the NFL. Welker is a different mold of WR than Crabtree. I don't think the 49ers drafted Crabtree to be a slot guy running a lot of underneath routes (not saying Crabtree can't do that). The 49ers want Crabtree to be their number 1 go to guy, a more vertical presence.

Crabtree is a fine athlete, but I think a lot of his production was due to the TT system. I will gladly eat my words if he has a great NFL career, but this holdout isn't helping his case any!

a few breakout WR rookie seasons: (at least 950 receiving yards)

Michael Clayton - 80 catches 1193 receiving yards 7 TDs (shows you dont have to be a freak or the next big thing to produce a big rookie year, him being the rare case tho)

Marques Colston - 70 catches 1038 receiivng yards 8 TDs

Anquan Boldin - 101 catches 1377 receiving yards 8 TDs

Dwayne Bowe - 70 catches 995 receiving yards 5 TDs

Eddie Royal - 91 catches 980 receiving yards 5 TDs

Andre Johnson - 66 catches 976 receiving yards 4 TDs

Obviously given Crabtree's holdout he is in a different situation but just showing that rookie WRs can make an impact, in Colstons and Clayton's case they can come from nowhere, and again with Clayton they can disappear just as fast.

No, but if he really is a product of the TT system and not an outside #1 NFL WR, I fully believe he can dominate from the slot being covered by LBers and nickel corners. Wes Welker on crack, one might say.

As will I if he doesn't turn out to be a future NFL stud and yearly tier 1 WR.

This situation is so stupid. There is no way that sitting out the year benefits crabtree at all. With next years WR class probably the best in quite a few year with bryant, benn, lafell and williams. There is No way that any NFL team would take crabtree next year over bryant or benn, and depending on what lafell and williams do next year could be all 4. There would be absolutly no benefit to him sitting out this year, the only thing he could say is that he F'd the 9ers, which if that's worth 20 million dollars to do then i guess it's worth it to him. I have him in my dynasty league picked him 15th overall last week, so i would like him to sign and stop being a baby. TAKE THE 20 MIL.

niner fan here and I could care less if he leaves. Stop with the ego. Sign the deal and prove it with your play and get another fat contract. This guy and his ego man. Its sick and I'm glad the niners are standing pat.

Agreed, he dropped in the draft for a reason. If NFL GM's were that in love with him they would have taken him higher. Clearly there were some issues that are now compounded by what he is doing this year. What GM would take him in the first round next year? If you take him 15th, do you think he will settle for 15th selection money? No, he will want 4th or 5th which is not practical. If he goes in the 2nd round, he will still want top 10 money.

Whoever is Crabtree's agent or advisor should be fired. And i don't own crabtree or root for or against the niners, I just don't see how he can sit out the whole year and not be a net loser in the long run.

If I were him and didnt hold out the only way I would sign and not get more money is to fire my agent, its the only way to save some face here, the whole bad representation angle. Either way he comes off as bad and will be labeled that until he proves otherwise, although I do think some GM would take him in the first next year anyway, just not a chance at being drafted higher unless he were to light up the combine/workouts with crazy numbers.

This is a nice post. I agree with basically everything said here. Problem for Crabtree is the combine is his enemy. He's not lights out fast. He's not 6-3. He's not got anything that separates him in a great way at the combine. His best asset is his game film which shows that he's not a product of TTU as some have said on this thread, but a playmaker. Mike Leach can make a lot of QB's throw for the yards Harrell did, but how often has he had a WR that did what Crabtree did? The farther we get away from that the more it hurts him. What would hurt him even more if he reenters the draft is the point that has been made above that it's a stellar year for WR (and everything for that matter) talent. With the signability issues he wouldn't be a high pick. I predict we see him settle for the 49ers offer that he should have taken long ago.

Anyone remember Mike Williams? Sitting out a season is NOT positive for any WR. If he sits out, GMs will remember Mike Williams and they will stay away from Crabman. By the way....the guys arguing about this being Al Davis's fault; the reason Al drafted Heyward was because he knew he couldn't sign Crabtree.

I also heard on NFL Network that if Crabtree goes back into the draft, the 49ers have his rights up until the night before the draft so they can stop him from auditioning in front of other NFL teams. This is huge for Crabtree since no teams have a 40 time on this guy or will be able to see this guy workout prior to next years draft. Why would anyone risk a high pick on him next season with so many unknowns on the guy?

Al Davis only cares about one thing: pure speed.
DHB had it, Crabtree didn't.
That is why he drafted Mr. Hands!
P.S.: If Crabtree was taken by the Raiders and then offered a 20% slot raise, Crabtree would have been in camp early as well!

Michael Crabtree is an idiot.

If he sits out and re-enters the draft this year, Matt Millen is no longer around to draft him at pick #10.

He'll fall to the 3rd round. Teams know better than to draft a guy who egos himself out of Football for a year after seeing how the Mike Williams and Maurice Clarett situation worked out.

Yeah but the NFL graveyards are littered with college 'playmakers' who didn't have elite size or speed. Crabtree really reminds me of a Peter Warrick type.

That said, just having elite size or speed doesn't make you a lock either. The most important factor in NFL success, in my opinion, is a player's work ethic. Obviously talent is a huge factor too, but every player being considered for a first day draft pick is known to be very talented. The guys who have the work ethic to push themselves to become even better athletes, learn the NFL game, and adjust to the lifestyle of being a professional athlete are the ones who succeed. The guys who don't continue to work hard after draft day or can't adjust to the pro athlete lifestyle don't make it in the NFL, no matter how talented they are.

This situation is disgusting. The NFL needs to institute a slotted rookie CAP.

Considering contracts aret guarenteed I dont mind the current system, I mean how often do players really holdout? also totally agree with the guy above who said if the Raiders had taken Crabtree we would have already have seen him in preseason, crazy Al wouldve paid him whatever Crabs wanted.

But rookies do get tons of guaranteed money. No way guys like Stafford and Crabtree should be getting more guaranteed money than established stars who have actually played a down in the league. Rookies should have to earn their huge deals.

Oh I totally agree with that and that they are being paid to much considering they are making more than the established stars....But owners can only blame themselves for that for letting it get this far.

I was high on this kid as an nfl star, but if he doesn't sign with the team he is an idiot. He is really going to be worthless this season. I feel that if he goes back into the draft he won't be anywhere near as good and many teams won't want to touch him because the fact that he won't sign and wanted big money. If he wants big money then take the contract that 49er's are going to give you and work your butt off and show them u deserve the money!!!!

Jus wanted to come on here and laugh at some dumbass in my ROokie keeper league....


He took Beanie Wells in the 7th rd and Crabtree in the 12th and took Crabtree as a Keeper