49ers hope to extend Michael Crabtree before season
By Josh Sanchez
Michael Crabtree is the next member of the San Francisco 49ers who is in line for a contract extension, and the team seems to be putting on the full court press in hopes of reaching a new deal before the start of the regular season.
From Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network:
#49ers next contract target: WR Michael Crabtree. There is progress. Hope is for a deal before the season. Otherwise shelved until after
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 19, 2014
The 49ers gave quarterback Colin Kaepernick a big money deal earlier in the offseason, so now they will hope to lock up his top target.
After a relatively slow start to his career, Crabtree has emerged as one of the most talented wide receivers in the entire league and he has been a star in the San Francisco 49ers offense — even if Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman believes he is mediocre.
Whether or not a deal gets done remains to be seen, but it is a positive sign for the 49ers fan base that Crabtree is the “next man up.”