Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree has signed a four-year contract extension after signing a one-year contract with the team this offseason, according to the Raiders' team website. The deal is reportedly worth $35 million, and the Raiders wideout is guaranteed nearly $19 million, according to NFL reporter Ian Rapoport.
Crabtree has stepped up this season, and been an instant impact for the Raiders' offense. The former first-round pick has caught 66 passes for 760 yards and scored seven touchdowns this year. Crabtree's extension is a good sign that Oakland is turning their franchise around, as they have not made the playoffs since 2002 when they went to the Super Bowl.
The Raiders' best record in the over a decade was 8-8 in consecutive seasons from 2010-11. Head coach Jack Del Rio is in his first season in Oakland, and has his club playing competitive football this year. The Raiders are currently 5-7 and are highly unlikely to make the postseason this year, but they clearly are improving and have a young, talented roster.
"I would love 'Crab' to be here for a long time," said quarterback Derek Carr, via the Raiders' team website. The Raiders franchise quarterback got his wish on Wednesday evening, and now has two top-tier wide receivers to target for the foreseeable future.
The Raiders selected wide receiver Amari Cooper with the fourth pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, and the rookie wideout has been nothing short of spectacular this year. Cooper has 920 receiving yards and four touchdowns this season, and the combination of Crabtree and Cooper gives the Raiders arguably the best wide receiver combination in the AFC West.
