Two weeks into 2015’s free agent period, wide receiver Michael Crabtree is perhaps the most notable player still without a contract, but the former 10th overall pick is in no rush to put pen to paper, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. According to Maiocco, Crabtree is willing to wait however long it takes to find the right situation for the 2015 season.
Crabtree, 27, has only made one free agent visit so far, having met with the Dolphins. The 49ers also maintain some interest in re-signing the six-year veteran, but a league source tells Maiocco that Crabtree would rather sign with a team that places a greater emphasis on the passing game.
Coming off a 2014 season in which he stayed healthy but was relatively unproductive, Crabtree may be prioritizing teams with solid quarterback situations where he could improve upon last year’s 698-yard showing. As PFR’s Rory Parks noted when he examined Crabtree’s stock over the weekend, the Texas Tech product may have to take a one-year, prove-it deal in the hopes of rebuilding his value and scoring a bigger payday in free agency in 2016.
If that’s Crabtree’s plan, it makes sense that he’d carefully weigh all his options before deciding on an ideal fit. Maiocco points out that the veteran receiver is no stranger to waiting on a contract, having held out for the first four weeks of the regular season during his rookie year.