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NFL Rumors: Oakland Raiders interested in Michael Crabtree

By Josh Hill

Nov 27, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) stands on the field before the start of the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi
Nov 27, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) stands on the field before the start of the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi /
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The Oakland Raiders are interested in free agent wide receiver Michael Crabtree, as the team is hosting him this week.

The NFL offseason is still young, as the Draft lies ahead and a handful of veterans remain without jobs. One of those players is former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree — but he may not have to go far for his new gig.

After the overhaul of the 49ers way of life this offseason, including the firing of Jim Harbaugh and an re-tooling of the offense, Crabtree has found himself out of a job. But the team just across the bay from San Francisco could be the team that gives Crabtree a job in 2015.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Oakland Raiders are a team to watch in the Michael Crabtree sweepstakes as they are set to host the free agent this week.

Crabtree is a guy who never truly panned out for the San Francisco 49ers, as he showed flashes but really didn’t come into his own the way some may have liked. That being said, the Raiders could use any help they can get to make sure their offense doesn’t lay an egg again in 2015, as Derek Carr is a potential franchise quarterback and getting him weapons like Crabtree could do wonders for his production.

Just look at how well Crabtree looked in 2013 when the 49ers made it to the Super Bowl. He may not be a stud receiver, but his flashes of greatness with Colin Kaepernick are a big reason why the Raiders are interested.

There’s a lot to work on for Crabtree, as he disappeared in the 49ers offense in 2014 and was a shell of who he was in 2013. How much of that had to do with Colin Kaepernick’s regression is up in the air, and it’s something that Crabtree can prove in Oakland. If the Raiders give him a deal and put him at the disposal of Derek Carr under center, and Crabtree then has a great season, he sort of absolves himself from what went wrong in 2014.

Crabtree has a lot of pressure on him to turn his career around, and while Oakland is usually where careers go to wither and die, Crabtree can be part of a new era for the Raiders.

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