Oakland Raiders: Michael Crabtree deserves more recognition for his reboot

Oakland Raiders wideout Michael Crabtree deserves more recognition for his career reboot. What’s he meant to the Silver and Black in the last two years?

Where’s Michael Crabtree on your current Mount Rushmore of wide receivers? Why do we continue to overlook his Oakland Raiders reboot?

Without pondering thoughts, Antonio Brown, Julio Jones and Odell Beckham Jr. roll off our tongues as the elite wideouts in today’s NFL. Though Crabtree may not bring the same weekly highlights as the aforementioned superstars, he certainly deserves his just due for what he brings to the Raiders and that’s consistency.

When analysts talk about the Raiders receiving corps, they’re quick to discuss Amari Cooper’s upside and his crisp route-running, which deserves recognition. Nonetheless, Crabtree leads the unit as the top playmaker when it comes to reaching paydirt.

No, this isn’t about beating a New York Jets team in rebuild mode at home in Week 2:

Crabtree ranks fourth in touchdowns scored since the 2015 campaign when he signed with the Raiders:

The ninth-year wide receiver doesn’t just show up against poor teams. He’s attacked defenses in the end zone as quarterback Derek Carr’s go-to receiver since donning the silver and black colors. Cooper struggled with drops as a rookie, and he leads the league with five through two weeks of the 2017 season, per Pro Football Focus Elite.

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It’s not a cause for concern, we saw him clean up his hands issue in the previous campaign. He’ll likely find his way at some point during a crucial third year. In the meantime, we should talk about Crabtree’s hands and the role he serves as Carr’s most reliable target.

Last year, after a three-touchdown performance against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4, head coach Jack Del Rio compared Crabtree’s hands to Hall of Famer Cris Carter’s (per Raiders.com):

"“He’s really competitive, got great hands. I played with a guy Cris Carter who had exceptional hands. I think Crab has those kind of hands. I think he’s exceptional.”"

Del Rio should pump up his players, but Crabtree has put the proof on film. How many times did we watch the 30-year old wideout come down with a spectacular catch near the sideline or in the end zone as a Raider?

Michael Crabtree as a Leader

Many Raiders fans hesitated to embrace Crabtree due to whispers about his poor attitude with the San Francisco 49ers. In Oakland, Del Rio painted a different picture (per Raiders.com):

"“He has been a great leader for us. There were questions brought up [about that]. That hasn’t been part of what we’re getting. We’re getting a guy who is a great teammate, who works hard every day and is very friendly for our quarterback.”"

Crabtree isn’t just a productive wide receiver, he’s a model teammate in the locker room, who knows how to control himself on the field. Remember the chain-snatching incident in Denver involving Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib? Raiders fans wanted Crabtree to physically strike back, but he kept his cool in a potentially volatile situation:

The 30-year old receiver came off as composed and aware of the moment with the Raiders fighting for the AFC West division crown. Even though Denver dominated Oakland without Carr, Crabtree didn’t take his frustrations out during the contest — that’s how a leader handles himself in a team game.

So, what happened in San Francisco that made the Raiders receiver seem “crabby” to the media? In an interview with Graham Bensinger, current Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and former Niners starter Alex Smith described the 49ers culture as “dysfunctional” during his tenure with the team:

Smith played for the 49ers between the 2005-12 seasons, which partially intersects with Crabtree’s time with the franchise between the 2009-14 campaigns. Most know the Chiefs signal-caller as a calm person from afar. Maybe San Francisco had the problem, and Crabtree needed a change in environment. He signed with the Raiders at the right time.

New Culture and More Production

Del Rio and Crabtree came to Oakland during the same offseason in 2015. The Raiders needed a culture change, and the 30-year old became part of the positive transition. Crabtree left past issues behind him to focus on the future with a quarterback on the rise. We often talk about the AC-DC connection, but the DC-MC rapport sparked in the first year. Carr threw nine touchdown passes to the veteran receiver. Carr found his new No. 1 target in the former 49ers wideout.

Furthermore, the passing attack featured him more so as a go-to guy. Take a look at his targets through the years:

Once Crabtree linked with Carr, he became the No. 1 wide receiver many expected in San Francisco. No disrespect to Smith or Colin Kaepernick, but he needed a passer who’d get him the ball on a consistent basis. The veteran receiver didn’t necessarily improve over time — he’s playing with a better passer under center.

It’s strange when fantasy football owners often ask, “does Crabtree belong in my lineup?” Let’s take things a little further. Don’t take him out of a starting position. The Raiders wideout led the team in targets (145), receptions (89) and touchdowns (8) during the 2016 season. Currently, he’s the lead scorer among wide receivers in standard Yahoo! and ESPN leagues.

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Carr doesn’t have to walk to the podium to talk about Crabtree’s reliability as a wideout in any given situation. The numbers speak volumes. It’s time we forget about the negative press clippings about No. 15 in a “dysfunctional” environment, and pay close attention to what he’s done to help the Raiders develop offensively through two years.

When you talk about quality No. 1 receivers in the league or discuss the Raiders’ explosive offense, take a few minutes to appropriately address Crabtree as a big-time playmaker.