Wide Receiver Michael Crabtree Signs With The Oakland Raiders

About five weeks into free agency, wide receiver Michael Crabtree has finally signed with the Oakland Raiders. The bad boys in silver and black have been trying to fill out the receiver position for quite some time. They have hosted numerous visits with notable free agents like Randall Cobb and Jeremy Maclin, but were unable to sign them.

That is why signing Michael Crabtree became imperative to help QB Derek Carr. The veteran agreed to a one-year deal worth $3 million with the possibility of another $2 million in incentives, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The 27-year-old receiver has had an interesting last few seasons with the 49ers. After starting his career with a contract holdout, he showed San Francisco why they picked him in the first round: over his first four seasons, he caught 260 passes for 3,345 yards and 21 touchdowns.

However, following his monstrous 2012 campaign, he was injured with a torn achilles. This resulted in him entering his final year of his 49ers contract with something to prove. But his numbers dwindled in 2014, with only 68 receptions on 108 targets, 698 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Still, the Raiders desperately needed a playmaking receiver to help the young Carr. And while Crabtree could answer that need, do not be surprised if they go after another one with their top ten draft pick — plenty of analysts have them choosing Alabama’s Amari Cooper or West Virginia’s Kevin White.

So who knows how the punching bag of the AFC West will fair during the 2015 season. They have been fairly busy during free agency — signing Trent Richardson, Nate Allen and more — and have hired a brand new coach in Jack Del Rio — their tenth since 2000.

Interestingly enough, Oakland had the chance to pick Crabtree in the 2009 draft, but took Darrius Heyward-Bey with the seventh pick. Bey never panned out and is now a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Article by Anthony Falco