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San Francisco 49ers: Should They Re-Sign Michael Crabtree?

By Maggie Pilloton

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To say the San Francisco 49ers‘ passing game in recent seasons has been disappointing is an understatement. Due to injuries, failed projects, and underachieving rookies, the 49ers have failed to build a consistent passing game.

From Kyle Williams to A.J. Jenkins to Randy Moss to Braylon Edwards to Jonathan Baldwin, the 49ers have also failed to find a legitimate third receiver.

Assuming Anquan Boldin and the newly acquired Torrey Smith will be the starters for 2015 season, who will the 49ers turn to as their third receiver this year? The most likely candidates are Quinton Patton and Bruce Ellington, who have both been working out with Colin Kaepernick in Arizona during the offseason.

49ers quarterbacks coach Dennis Gile said that it looked like Kaepernick and the two young receivers were building some chemistry:

"“They looked good together on a daily basis,” Gile said. “Those guys were here for three or four weeks during the time we were here, so they spent a good amount of time together. They trained hard together.”"

In his first NFL season in 2013, Patton dealt with injuries but finished the season nicely. In 2014, he failed to build off of his rookie season, as he fell behind both Brandon Lloyd and Ellington on the depth chart. Last season, Patton caught three passes for 44 yards in four games.

Ellington secured return duties for the 49ers last year in his rookie season, and he caught six passes for 62 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games in 2014.

The 49ers still lack serious depth at the receiver position, as both of these young players are fairly unproven. Could the 49ers address this issue by re-signing Michael Crabtree and having him compete for a starting spot with Smith?

According to Matt Maiocco of Comcast Sportsnet Bay Area, that still remains a possibility for the 49ers. Maiocco with the report:

"Free-agent wide receiver Michael Crabtree is willing to wait however long it takes to find an appealing situation for the 2015 season, sources told CSNBayArea.com.The 49ers are interested in re-signing Crabtree, but the six-year veteran prefers to seek a contract with a team that places a greater emphasis on the passing game, according to a league source at the NFL owners meetings.Crabtree has taken just one free-agent visit since the opening of the signing period on March 10. He met with Miami Dolphins coaches and officials last week but left without a contract. The Dolphins are also expected to meet with veteran wideout Greg Jennings."

There are a couple reasons why re-signing Crabtree might not be the best answer for the 49ers. Although he built up some strong chemistry with Kaepernick, Crabtree would have to accept a cut in both playing time and in salary to play again for the 49ers.

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Crabtree would not be given the starting role automatically, and he would potentially not even play on every down for the 49ers. In addition, he made an average salary of $5.33 million per season with the 49ers, and that wouldn’t happen again in 2015, given the 49ers’ financial restrictions. Crabtree is also coming off of a few seasons in a row filled with injuries and an extremely disappointing 2015 season.

The 49ers currently have two reliable, high-quality starting receivers, but they certainly need more depth at the wide receiver position, given the unproven young receivers and Boldin’s age. There aren’t a lot of options left in the free agency market for wide receivers right now though.

Although the 49ers should consider signing another wide receiver, Crabtree is most likely not the best player to fill that need.

Next: Fixing the 49ers' Offense in 3 Steps

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