Report: Raiders sticking with Michael Crabtree

Over the past couple months, Michael Crabtree’s prospective future in Oakland has been uncertain. From seemingly falling out of favor late in the season, leading to reports he was not going to brought back, followed by receiving just 17 snaps in the season finale.

Immediately after that game, Jack Del Rio was fired, which rendered any previous decisions about the fates of Raiders players moot. The new staff would come in and decide who stays and who goes, for the most part. We had asked the question after the season if Crabtree’s fortunes could reverse with Gruden taking over.

And it appears Crabtree will be among those who is staying, according to Vic Tafur of the Athletic.

Gruden spoke on Crabtree a couple weeks ago and it sounded very much like he had Crabtree in the Raiders’ plans ,saying of the 30-year-old receiver “Hopefully we can get the best out of Crabtree and his career.”

Crabtree is coming off a down year, with the worst full season yardage total (618) of his career. That season plus his salary of $7.5 million next season with no dead money should he be cut was the logic behind the notion he could be let go. The argument against it is that he is just a season removed from his second best NFL season output (1005 yards) and $7.5 million is a pretty reasonable salary for a starting receiver. And there isn’t much on the free agent market in terms of an upgrade.