Michael Crabtree (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
When the St. Louis Rams’ Steven Jackson decided to make owners, coaches, teammates and fans wait on his suiting up for the 2008 NFL season, the decision might not have rubbed any of the aforementioned the right way.
The running back was looking for a restructuring of his contract. He was in the final year of a rookie deal that would have paid him around $1.5 million for the season. Jackson, with a 2006 NFL Offensive Player of the Year award under his belt and having finished his third consecutive 1,000 yard-plus rushing year for a team dismal enough to merit the first pick of the following season’s draft, thought he deserved more.
You could have been upset at Jackson for the holdout, but you couldn’t really say he didn’t have an argument for waiting 27 days before finally reporting to training camp, after getting a new contract (six years for almost $50 million).
With Michael Crabtree, a wide receiver whose NFL career highlight is being picked tenth in the 2009 NFL Draft by the 49ers, all you can do is be upset.
In his two years at Texas Tech, Crabtree starred. He combined to catch 231 balls (41 became touchdowns) for a total of 3,127 yards. His freshman season was better than his sophomore one statistically, but his 2008 year had an instant-classic, last-second, game-winning TD grab against then-No. 1 Texas. Crabtree is also a two-time First Team All-American and a back-to-back winner of the Paul Warfield award, honor given to the top wide receiver in college football.
Crabtree’s done everything to warrant a contract in the NFL. Problem is: he won’t take it because someone’s agreeing with him in his stance that he’s worth more money than he really is. Who’s this fellow encouraging this holdout? Eugene Parker, Crabtree’s agent.
One thing is certain, Parker is asking for way more than what a tenth pick is supposed to make. Crabtree, foolishly, is on the boat with him. It’s not as if the 49ers are offering the college star minimum wage. San Francisco head coach Mike Singletary has stated the team has been fair to the wide receiver in its economical offer. However, Crabtree’s got an attitude problem that has reportedly led him to be willing to sit out the whole year and re-enter the draft in 2010 if the 49ers don’t give him what he wants.
That attitude only grew after Crabtree was not the first wide receiver taken in the draft. That honor belonged to Maryland's Darrius Heyward-Bey, picked seventh overall by the Oakland Raiders. Crabtree was supposed to be the top receiver of the 2009 class, but Heyward-Bey got his name called first, and also got the money (after a one-day holdout, mind you). The Raider is set to cash in $23.5 in guaranteed money. Heyward-Bey’s college receiving numbers (138 receptions, 2,089 yards, 13 touchdowns in a combined three seasons) are non-impressive compared to those of Crabtree. That only throws more fire into why the 49ers rookie thinks he’s worth more than his Bay Area buddy.
But Heyward-Bey’s five-year deal should not be a measuring stick for Crabtree. That’s just another fine example of why the Raiders haven’t won more than five games in a season for six consecutive years: their terrible decision-making. Crabtree has yet to have a practice in the NFL, faces questions regarding his speed and a stress fracture, and owns a negative demeanor the 49ers are unlikely to put up with (just ask Terrell Owens and Antonio Bryant). Crabtree’s cousin and “adviser,” David Wells, was the one delivering the news that the receiver had thought about skipping 2009 altogether. These statements are just drama the 49ers can certainly do without. If this keeps up for much longer (it’s been 11 days since he was supposed to join the team in practices), San Francisco is better off just trading Crabtree. Something tells us perhaps the Raiders might be interested.
"[Crabtree] needs to get his butt here and help this team out," 49ers tight end Vernon Davis told ESPN's Colleen Dominguez. "He has a chance to be a big-time player. He should take what he can get, and get here."
Wow, Davis is right for once. Crabtree needs to shut up, take the money and – in the unlikely case he’s worth more than what the 49ers are offering – work with them to restructure his contract in the future. Ala Steven Jackson, once he has earned it. For now, all the former Red Raider has earned is the right to be booed heavily after dropping the first pass either Alex Smith or Shaun Hill will throw at him.
Candlestick Park (and owners, coaches, teammates and fans) awaits.
The running back was looking for a restructuring of his contract. He was in the final year of a rookie deal that would have paid him around $1.5 million for the season. Jackson, with a 2006 NFL Offensive Player of the Year award under his belt and having finished his third consecutive 1,000 yard-plus rushing year for a team dismal enough to merit the first pick of the following season’s draft, thought he deserved more.
You could have been upset at Jackson for the holdout, but you couldn’t really say he didn’t have an argument for waiting 27 days before finally reporting to training camp, after getting a new contract (six years for almost $50 million).
With Michael Crabtree, a wide receiver whose NFL career highlight is being picked tenth in the 2009 NFL Draft by the 49ers, all you can do is be upset.
In his two years at Texas Tech, Crabtree starred. He combined to catch 231 balls (41 became touchdowns) for a total of 3,127 yards. His freshman season was better than his sophomore one statistically, but his 2008 year had an instant-classic, last-second, game-winning TD grab against then-No. 1 Texas. Crabtree is also a two-time First Team All-American and a back-to-back winner of the Paul Warfield award, honor given to the top wide receiver in college football.
Crabtree’s done everything to warrant a contract in the NFL. Problem is: he won’t take it because someone’s agreeing with him in his stance that he’s worth more money than he really is. Who’s this fellow encouraging this holdout? Eugene Parker, Crabtree’s agent.
One thing is certain, Parker is asking for way more than what a tenth pick is supposed to make. Crabtree, foolishly, is on the boat with him. It’s not as if the 49ers are offering the college star minimum wage. San Francisco head coach Mike Singletary has stated the team has been fair to the wide receiver in its economical offer. However, Crabtree’s got an attitude problem that has reportedly led him to be willing to sit out the whole year and re-enter the draft in 2010 if the 49ers don’t give him what he wants.
That attitude only grew after Crabtree was not the first wide receiver taken in the draft. That honor belonged to Maryland's Darrius Heyward-Bey, picked seventh overall by the Oakland Raiders. Crabtree was supposed to be the top receiver of the 2009 class, but Heyward-Bey got his name called first, and also got the money (after a one-day holdout, mind you). The Raider is set to cash in $23.5 in guaranteed money. Heyward-Bey’s college receiving numbers (138 receptions, 2,089 yards, 13 touchdowns in a combined three seasons) are non-impressive compared to those of Crabtree. That only throws more fire into why the 49ers rookie thinks he’s worth more than his Bay Area buddy.
But Heyward-Bey’s five-year deal should not be a measuring stick for Crabtree. That’s just another fine example of why the Raiders haven’t won more than five games in a season for six consecutive years: their terrible decision-making. Crabtree has yet to have a practice in the NFL, faces questions regarding his speed and a stress fracture, and owns a negative demeanor the 49ers are unlikely to put up with (just ask Terrell Owens and Antonio Bryant). Crabtree’s cousin and “adviser,” David Wells, was the one delivering the news that the receiver had thought about skipping 2009 altogether. These statements are just drama the 49ers can certainly do without. If this keeps up for much longer (it’s been 11 days since he was supposed to join the team in practices), San Francisco is better off just trading Crabtree. Something tells us perhaps the Raiders might be interested.
"[Crabtree] needs to get his butt here and help this team out," 49ers tight end Vernon Davis told ESPN's Colleen Dominguez. "He has a chance to be a big-time player. He should take what he can get, and get here."
Wow, Davis is right for once. Crabtree needs to shut up, take the money and – in the unlikely case he’s worth more than what the 49ers are offering – work with them to restructure his contract in the future. Ala Steven Jackson, once he has earned it. For now, all the former Red Raider has earned is the right to be booed heavily after dropping the first pass either Alex Smith or Shaun Hill will throw at him.
Candlestick Park (and owners, coaches, teammates and fans) awaits.