Oakland Raiders Let Michael Crabtree Leave Without A Contract

If you’re an Oakland Raiders fan who happened to be holding your breath, covering your eyes, or were possibly hiding beneath a blanket, it’s okay to come out now – Michael Crabtree is gone. In a meeting with the Raiders that stretched late into Wednesday evening, many were reporting that a deal between the two parties was imminent. Or was at least, “very likely.” But what a difference a day makes.

In a turn of events that is guaranteed to have a good portion of the Raider fan base cheering, Crabtree has left Oakland without a contract. At least for now.

While there is no question that Oakland needs to get second year QB Derek Carr some weapons, it would behoove them to look elsewhere. After Randall Cobb and Jeremy Maclin were officially taken off the market, the level of talent in the free agent pool dried up rather quickly. And even though Crabtree believes he’s on the same level of Cobb and Maclin, he’s simply not.

That would be like a Ford Pinto claiming to be on the same level as a Ferrari or Lamborghini – there really is no comparison.

Having missed out on their top two free agent receivers, GM Reggie McKenzie and the Raiders would be far better off stocking the receivers room with some of the talent in the draft. And when it comes to wide receiving talent, this draft is absolutely loaded. Even if they pass on Amari Cooper or Kevin White with the fourth pick, they will be able to pick up quality receivers through the second, and possibly even into the third round.

Crabtree would be a terrible fit on this Oakland team for a number of reasons. The first reason being that he’s not a receiver who can stretch the field. Coming off major ACL surgery last season, Crabtree lacks the explosiveness that made him such a successful – and decorated – college receiver. At this point in his career, Crabtree looks to be like little more than a possession receiver, and not the kind of home run hitter Oakland needs.

He brings nothing special, unique, or exceptionally desirable to the table. The current Oakland receiving room – James Jones, Rod Streater, Andre Holmes, Kenbrell Thompkins, and Brice Butler, would gain very little by having Crabtree in there with them.

The second reason Crabtree would be an awful fit is that new Oakland HC Jack Del Rio is a hard working, no nonsense, blue collar kind of guy. He’s not one who seems to have the time, or inclination to deal with the diva antics and “me first” rather than “team first” attitude.

Just because Crabtree left town without a deal though, it doesn’t mean that he won’t be back. He’s likely going to take his time and give every team in the league the opportunity to bid on his – ahem – franchise saving services. Well, except for the San Francisco 49ers who have “been there, done that.”

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The more likely scenario working though, is that Crabtree is going to attempt to play the two teams he’s officially visited with – the Dolphins and the Raiders – against each other as he tries to jack up his severely plummeting stock value.

Rumor has it that Crabtree – who was reportedly originally seeking about $9 million per season, is now willing to do a team a solid by taking a mere $4.5 million a season for his services. Which, if the reports out of Miami are to be believed, is still $1.5 million more than the receiver-needy Dolphins were willing to offer. It stands to reason then, that if Crabtree left Oakland without a contract, the Raiders weren’t willing to pony up that sort of money either. Which was a smart move.

Crabtree has been an absolute disappointment since being taken tenth overall by San Francisco in the 2009 draft. Tabbed by some as a “can’t miss” prospect, Crabtree actually hasn’t come remotely close to hitting. He’s broken 1,000 yards receiving just once in his six seasons, and hasn’t come close to being the dominating force many thought he’d be, coming out of Texas Tech.

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In addition to his disappointing production on the field, there is also his diva attitude and the reports that Crabtree is a terrible teammate. Much has been written about the “diva clause” in his contract already, but less is written about the locker room schisms he caused in San Francisco, most notably with 49ers tight end Vernon Davis.

And if the Raider brass needed any more reasons to pass on Crabtree like a plate of bad fish, we must travel back in time to the year 2009. It’s the year that Crabtree, who had been one of the most explosive receivers in all of college football, joined the NFL after being drafted by the 49ers.

But in a pre-draft live chat interview with NFL.com, Crabtree openly disrespected the Raiders, who were trying to find a weapon to pair with strong armed – and complete waste of a draft pick – JaMarcus Russell and running back Darren McFadden.

In response to a question about playing for the Raiders, Crabtree said:

“I’m not cocky at all,” Crabtree said “People talk, man, but I’m a cool guy. As for playing for the Raiders, no comment.”

Yeah, sounds like a good, cool guy, doesn’t he?

The Raiders absolutely need receiving help. But they would be far better off looking for it in the draft, rather than taking on somebody like Crabtree – somebody with declining skills, declining speed, and the potential to be a total cancer in the locker room. Where is the upside there? Del Rio is trying to build a team that is selfless. He’s trying to get his players to think “team” first rather than “me” first.

That is something that Crabtree has yet to prove himself capable of.

And for those of you out there who believe that Crabtree is now somehow magically “humbled” and is willing to buy into the selfless, “team first” concept that Del Rio is preaching – there is a big, red bridge in San Francisco that we’d love to sell you.

There is absolutely no proof of that assertion at all. In fact, it’s quite the contrary.

Crabtree may need the Raiders, but the Raiders don’t need Crabtree. When nobody else is willing to meet his ridiculous asking price, if Crabtree comes back to Oakland asking for a deal, McKenzie and Del Rio would be very wise to simply say, “no comment,” before slamming the door in his face.

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