The Oakland Raiders have agreed to terms on a contract with former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree. Is this a good signing?
Yes, it is. There is no denying that Crabtree has lost a lot of his explosiveness. Although he will turn just 28 in September, his torn Achilles from 2013 and nagging leg injuries have sapped a lot of his athleticism. He averaged just 10.3 yards per catch last year and never topped 85 receiving yards in a single game.
But this is not a high risk signing. It's likely a one-year contract for guy who isn't too far removed from catching 85 balls in2012. Everyone knew the Raiders absolutely had to add someone to their wide receiving corps, especially after missing out on Randall Cobb and Jeremy Maclin in free agency. It's not as if Crabtree's presence is going to hurt the offense. He's a veteran receiver with deep playoff experience and his 698 receiving yards from last year would have led the Raiders.
Most importantly, though, is how he'll impact second-year quarterback Derek Carr. Crabtree may not be a "weapon" at this point, but he's still useful and is a clear upgrade over what Oakland had. The team has full confidence that Carr can develop into a franchise quarterback. But he's never going to reach that point unless the offensive talent around him improves. Crabtree is the first step in that process and a big-time WR in the NFL Draft is likely the next.
No, the Crabtree signing will not exactly move the needle. But out of all the guys left on the market, he clearly had the most upside. Helping Carr is Oakland's main priority and this move accomplishes that.
