So Crabtree is thinking that if the 49ers won't pay him top-5 money, he can hold out, re-enter the draft and get taken in the top 5 next year....It may sound logical to a WR diva, but there is one thing he hasn't considered....the 49ers are going to own his rights up to the start of the draft, and he will need their permission to speak with other teams....he cant even work out for another team without the 49ers filing a tampering charge(and they will, and it will stick, and the team that works him out will lose draft picks)....so, if you are the GM of a team with a top 5 pick, are you drafting a guy you cant talk to? cant work out? Not with a top 5 pick....maybe not with a 1st round pick....maybe not at all, because you know that if you try to pay him what the market dictates, he may balk and threaten to take his ball and go home....if he knows what is best for his career, he will take the slotted contract and play football....otherwise, he is in serious danger of being a wikipedia footnote instead of a millionaire athlete....
Has a NFL player ever sat out a season and reentered the draft due to being unable to agree to a rookie contact?
Yes, but with other circumstances....Bo Jackson didn't want to play for the Bucs so he decided to play baseball instead....the Raiders drafted him the next year and he eventually made his way into the league.....when the USFL was around, lots of guys went there instead of signing the NFL deals and some of them reentered the draft....
For what it's worth, his agent hasn't actually confirmed these rumours. The quote that's been going around the internet is from Crabtree's cousin/advisor. You'd like to think that an NFL agent with professional experience would be smart enough to realize the folly of this plan. Even as a negotiating tactic it's shortsighted and embarrassing. If anything, I think this should be a sign for Crabtree that he needs to lessen the influence that his circle of family/friend has on his pro career.
He really should get a deal done. Mike Williams sat out an entire year before even being drafted and look what happened to him.
Yep. Quite a similar situation- both are the top ranked receivers in their classes, both are very big, strong WRs. Both have questionable speed. Both high draft picks, Mike Williams got lucky that he was drafted that high and at least he was smart enough to take his money. Teams aren't going to do the same thing again with Crabtree.
I'm a big Crabtree fan, but there is no way he should sit out the year. He'll fall out of the first round entirely with guys like Dez Bryant and Arrelious Benn probably going in the top 20 next year. I can't see a team selecting Crabtree over either of those two players. So in reality, Crabtree would just lose experience and money by sitting out.
I heard the 49ers are considering trading him for a 1st Round pick in next years draft. Several teams have approached them.
Who is going to give up a 1st and then deal with his demands? He is not getting top 5 money. He is not. He was the 10th pick in the draft. He will slide into his slot or he will slide into historical oblivion. He is worth a 1st, if he will sign the contract for this draft slot, otherwise, hes worthless....