crabs torn Achilles no!

[RobertPhD01]

TE McDonald will need to be effective rather quickly! Go 49ers!!

 

[Flyingiguana]

We need to bring in 2 free agent WRs off this list and then hopefully we will have some good camp competition and some of them will step it up.

Devery Henderson may be a good option too, Brees seemed to hit some long TD homeruns to Henderson from time to time. We have our possession guy in Boldin, Vernon can do both, so maybe we need a home run guy with some wheels?

omg henderson would give our offense a nice vertical threat

 

[Flyingiguana]

Really sucks for you guys, however you alls have been dodging a bullet with this for a long time....

Y'all should get on your knees because your best RB just hit 30 this week, lose him and it going to be tough going all around!

we just need 1 more year out of gore

 

[Flyingiguana]

Last year we lost Haralson for the season in August, then lost Hunter, Williams and Manningham during the season.

Justin Smith tore his triceps last year, Aldon tore his labrum.

I also don't accept that not having a lot of injuries is related to luck. I think the training staff and practice methods play a role in it. In the last 7 months we have had 4 skill position players blow out their achilles or knee. That's unlikely a coincidence.

turf issues on new practice field?

 

[clyde_carbon]

I'm trying not to go there. Hopkins would've been one of my favorite SF picks in a decade. In any round. He'll be big for them in my opinion, as will Dobson in New England. Could speak on this topic for days but what's done is done. A big part of me hates rehashing stuff like this on the draft.

Had no idea you were a fan of Dobson, Chris.

 

[bone3421]

well that sucks for him.......he was really shaping up to be a top receiver,hope he comes back strong

 

[MHSL82]

the 7-15!!!! what could've been...

Indeed, the connection was there. Kaepernick will find someone else or spread it around. In the first year, under the circumstances he took the job, it's natural to have a security blanket. But they had a connection outside of any security there may have been.

Michael Crabtree Weeks 11-17 Last Season (Kaepernick starting) & NFL Rank, 41 receptions (7th), 595 rec yds (7th), 5 rec TDs (t-6th) #49ers

including playoffs, Colin Kaepernick targeted Crabtree more than 3 times as frequently as any other #49ers player on both 3rd down & redzone

#NFL Highest % of Pass Routes w/a target wks 11-17 #bears Marshall 44.2 #49ers Crabtree 39.6 #Redskins Garcon 39.0 #Texans Johnson 35.5

#49ers Crabtree was targeted on 39.6% of his routes w/Kaepernick as starter LY (Wks 11-17) only #bears Brandon Marshall was targeted more

Colin Kaepernick to Crabby, and other WRs targets for Crabtree 68.5% comp, 9.8 YPA -- targets for other WRs 58.4% comp, 8.2YPA #49ers

Including the playoffs, Colin Kaepernick threw 8TD, 0INT when targeting Crabtree LY. When targeting all other WRs, he threw 1TD, 4INT #49ers

https://twitter.com/cecillammey

 

[MHSL82]

To build off that point, Crabtree had 46 rec for 665 yds & 6 TDs in the Niners' last 8 reg season games. Kap took over in the 1st of those.

To me, this is biggest issue for the Niners now >> RT @PFF In the playoffs Kaepernick had a QB rating of 139.7 when throwing at Crabtree.

To build off that point, Crabtree had 46 rec for 665 yds & 6 TDs in the Niners' last 8 reg season games. Kap took over in the 1st of those.

https://twitter.com/AlbertBreer

 

[dredinis21]

After 12 hours to chew on this news, it still aches like a kick in the taint. I hope that the blessing in disguise in that a) Kaep looks over the field and truly goes through his progressions and b) some of our young WRs step up to the plate and earns a future with this team.

 

[ChrisPozz]

Had no idea you were a fan of Dobson, Chris.

2nd favorite WR this draft.

 

[Badger8843]

I still like our WR corps. Jenkins should emerge into our #1 guy now, Boldin's Mr. Dependable, Patton's make up was always of an upper tier slot receiver, and Ricardo Lockette is the wild card with a fairly high ceiling.

Boldin will be our #1 hands down, no questions about it. He has been the #1 for years for the Ravens, he knows what it takes and he is a gamer. Jenkins couldnt even see the field last year, he will not be the #1, he will have a hard time beating out patton for the #2 or #3 spot

 

[Flyingiguana]

After 12 hours to chew on this news, it still aches like a kick in the taint. I hope that the blessing in disguise in that a) Kaep looks over the field and truly goes through his progressions and b) some of our young WRs step up to the plate and earns a future with this team.

we need to grab another starter while guys heal up. kap needs weapons not practice squad guys out there.

 

[michaelwarner]

This news absolutely sucks. There are a lot of questions-Can Jennings make the jump, Will KW and MM be healthy by the opener, can Patton and McDonald contribute early, etc. But its May. I have a feeling that we will swing a deal for someone with the glut of picks we have. Who that is, right now, I have no idea. Just a hunch. I've read a couple of articles that speculate Nate Washington will be available. He's not Crabs but he definitely has skills.

 

[BINGO]

Evan Silva
Fallout: 49ers lose Crabtree
Wednesday, May 22, 2013

The tenth overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft, Michael Crabtree labored through three largely disappointing seasons to open his career. His reception and yardage numbers were increasing, but questions remained about Crabtree's viability as a true No. 1 wide receiver. A wideout who could beat defenses at the short, intermediate and deep levels, and run by coverage. Crabtree had shown soft hands, route-running chops, and some yards-after-catch skills. Entering 2012, at least, Crabtree appeared to be shaping up as a possession, No. 2-type receiver.

It was more of the same during last year's first seven games. The 49ers' run-based offense perhaps put a theoretical ceiling on Crabtree's production, as did Alex Smith's physical limitations. But Crabtree wasn't dynamic. He was solid, but not dynamic. He scored one touchdown over those first seven games and cleared 70 yards just twice.

On October 11, Colin Kaepernick replaced Smith at quarterback against the Rams at the 6:24 mark of the second quarter. The duo would discover instant chemistry as Crabtree went on to catch 66 passes for 950 yards and nine touchdowns over San Francisco's final 11 games, including the playoffs. Extrapolated over a full 16-game season, those numbers would project to a statistical line of 96/1,382/14. That's 222.2 fantasy points. Detroit's Calvin Johnson scored the most fantasy receiver points in the league last season, and he finished with 226.4. Per ESPN Stats & Information, Kaepernick completed 68.5 percent of his 2012 pass targets to Crabtree. Kap completed just 58.4 percent of his throws intended for other receivers.

Because we tend to decide whether or not receivers are truly "No. 1" caliber based on statistics, we could probably all agree that Crabtree elevated himself during this time period, capitalizing on a diversified offense with a stronger-armed quarterback under center. A passer more willing to and capable of pulling the trigger on intermediate and deep throws. Kaepernick's accuracy and the duo's impressive timing also allowed for increased run-after-catch opportunities, where Crabtree has always been proficient.

In Rotowold's final Player News blurb on Crabtree -- following a five-catch, 109-yard, one-score performance in San Francisco's Super Bowl XLVII loss to Baltimore -- we posited that Crabtree had "developed into arguably the NFL's premier run-after-catch receiver, south of Minnesota." Seemingly playing with more confidence simply because he was getting the football more consistently, Crabtree displayed impressive balance and physical running after the reception. He was a better player. And we expected him to have an even better 2013 season.

During Tuesday's OTA practice, Crabtree suffered a torn Achilles' tendon and on Wednesday will undergo "what could be season-ending surgery," USA Today reported. While the Niners aren't giving up hope of Crabtree contributing late this year, they certainly can't count on Crabtree to contribute. Anything he gives them will be considered a bonus. And a mammoth void has been created in San Francisco's pass-catching corps.

Here is an anticipated fallout for each affected entity:

The 49ers: The loss of San Francisco's No. 1 receiver shifts the balance of power in the NFC West to the Seahawks, who've arguably already stockpiled more talent than the reigning division champs after acquiring Percy Harvin from the Vikings. While the 49ers are built for the long haul with a surplus of young talent and draft picks, they are simultaneously in win-now mode. This is a team that plans to return to the Super Bowl. Don't expect GM Trent Baalke and coach Jim Harbaugh to leave a single stone unturned as they attempt to compensate for Crabtree's loss.

Crabtree: Optimists will point to Terrell Suggs and Da'Quan Bowers' relatively quick 2012 recoveries from Achilles' tears as possible indications Crabtree will play football in 2013. Keep in mind Suggs' Achilles' was only partially torn and occurred on April 28, giving Suggs about a three-week head start to recover from an ostensibly less severe injury. (We've not yet heard the full extent of Crabtree's tear.) Suggs returned on October 21. He was also largely ineffective for over two months (two sacks in eight regular season games), before finding something of a groove in January's playoffs.

Bowers tore his Achilles' on May 10, giving him a nearly two-week head start on Crabtree. Bowers returned on October 25 and managed three sacks in ten games. The start-stop nature of wide receiver route running also figures to make this a trickier recovery for Crabtree than up-field pass rushers Bowers and Suggs. Crabtree must explode off the line and change directions regularly.

Crabtree is headed for the PUP list to open the season, which would cost him the first six games at the very least. He'll be no more than a late-round flier in fantasy drafts, and will probably hit waiver wires early in the season when fantasy owners are forced to make roster additions due to injuries or bye weeks.

Colin Kaepernick: I think the 49ers are going to make a move, whether it's signing a receiver like Nate Washington after he's released by the Titans, or trading a late-round pick for someone like Malcom Floyd. If Baalke really wants to get aggressive, he could pursue a player like Kenny Britt, dangling the 2014 third-rounder acquired in San Francisco's second-round trade down with Tennessee. Here is a comprehensive list of available NFL Free Agents. (Hint: It isn't pretty.) I wouldn't expect Baalke and Harbaugh to rest on their laurels because they are trying to get back to the Super Bowl. Kaepernick's 2013 outlook is adversely affected for now, but the 49ers will try to help him. He should still be viewed in fantasy drafts as a low-end QB1 with upside.

Anquan Boldin: Nationally, fingers immediately pointed to Boldin assuming No. 1 receiver duties in San Francisco. That's a long shot. While Boldin deserves major kudos for an outstanding playoff performance, he's experienced a three-year decline in playmaking ability and does not run well or separate from coverage entering his age-33 season. I don't think Baalke and Harbaugh will ask Boldin to do things he's not capable of doing, like carrying a team's receiving load for a 16-game schedule. He is strictly a complementary puzzle piece. Crabtree's loss could contribute to a few more targets, but ultimately Boldin's outlook is not greatly affected. He is a role player.

A.J. Jenkins: A window of opportunity has opened wider for the disappointing 2012 first-round pick, who failed to record a single reception across 19 possible games as a rookie. Jenkins was only active for five contests, failing to beat out dead-legged Randy Moss, and special teamers Ted Ginn and Kyle Williams for playing time. Jenkins has tools, and was always going to get a long look in training camp, but for now expectations should be very guarded. While the 49ers will definitely keep an open mind, Jenkins isn't a guy they can count on for significant 2013 impact.

Quinton Patton: The fourth-round rookie was a favorite among draftniks for his smooth routes and play style. Patton isn't a great athlete, running a 4.53 forty at the Combine with a 33-inch vertical. He's another player with more opportunity who will be worth monitoring closely in camp and preseason games. It's worth noting that after rookie camp, reliable Niners beat reporter Matt Maiocco wrote, "I can tell you that Quinton Patton is nowhere close to being ready."

Vernon Davis: Whereas Crabtree instantly hit it off with Kaepernick following his promotion over Smith, Davis' chemistry with the new quarterback took longer to develop. The duo did experience some playoff fireworks as Davis surged to 12 catches, 254 yards, and a touchdown across three postseason contests. Particularly after investing a second-round pick into No. 2 tight end Vance McDonald, it's quite conceivable that play designer Harbaugh will make a larger commitment to Davis' involvement in his passing game following the Crabtree injury.

Mario Manningham: Manningham tore his left ACL and PCL in Week 16 last year and had to accept a $2.15 million pay cut just to stay in San Francisco. He's not expected back for training camp, and at this point is lucky to still have a 90-man offseason roster spot.

The 49ers' Run Game: This was always going to be the foundation of San Francisco's offense. Even with the excitement of Kaepernick entering his first season as a full-time player, the 49ers had every intention of keeping a balanced to run-heavy offense intact. Frank Gore is secure as the feature back. Kendall Hunter and LaMichael James are competing for second string. They may miss Crabtree's effective blocking on downfield run plays, but will continue to benefit from the NFL's premier run-blocking offensive line and certainly won't hurt for touches.

 

[TobyTyler]

No Manningham and now no Crabtree probably makes Kaepernick a very nervous boy.

 

[BINGO]

No Manningham and now no Crabtree probably makes Kaepernick a very nervous boy.

Not really we have the dynamic Quitton Patton we drafted this year. Ricordo Lockette is also a hidden gem. Kyle Williams will finally explode this year and be the weapon (WR/RS) we envisioned him to be when he entered the league in 2010. Furthermore, Jim's brother failed to utlize Boldin properly, he is truly an elite player and will be back to his rookie form in our offense.

 

[Yoshi]

I guess I agree with Deep9er here. Can't say I can source it for you so I wont argue, it's just what I've been hearing over the last year or so....

You know we had all those injuries in 2011 and then lost Brockers (Our No. 1 pick) to start off the season last year so I feel your pain.

The interesting thing is that on a link posted on another thread, there was a mention that 4 out of 5 NFL players do not trust their medical staffs:

NFL Concussions: The 2012-13 Season In Review | Concussion Watch | FRONTLINE | PBS


There is pressure on med. staffs to not only diagnose players correctly, but to also treat them accordingly within a specific time period, and at times that could lead to a player coming back too early. With medical technology improving over the last decade or so, NFL teams are assuming that players can come back to full strength in a shorter period of time, but the reality of it is that the success stories such as Adrian Peterson or Ray Lewis are small sample sizes that can not be generalized on other players.

In Crabtree's case, I know some of the posters on here are talking about 6 months, but a completely torn achilles heel takes about that time just to recover - he still has to adjust to running on his foot along with strengthening and rehabbing it to game speed. In short, there's a real good chance Crabtree doesn't play the entire season, and if he does, he'll be in for the NFC Championship game and the SB, should the Niners make it that far and participate in both games.

 

[deep9er]

Not really we have the dynamic Quitton Patton we drafted this year. Ricordo Lockette is also a hidden gem. Kyle Williams will finally explode this year and be the weapon (WR/RS) we envisioned him to be when he entered the league in 2010. Furthermore, Jim's brother failed to utlize Boldin properly, he is truly an elite player and will be back to his rookie form in our offense.

whaaa?

Boldin still has game, but age catches up to everyone......except Jerry Rice. we will need a faster, quicker complement to Boldin and fortunately, we have legit candidates.

 

[deep9er]

Boldin will be our #1 hands down, no questions about it. He has been the #1 for years for the Ravens, he knows what it takes and he is a gamer. Jenkins couldnt even see the field last year, he will not be the #1, he will have a hard time beating out patton for the #2 or #3 spot

IMO Boldin will do just about the same as he did last few years? he will not have top NFL, WR stats. not complaining mind you, cause we can really use this whether Crab got hurt or not. but Boldin's not a spring chicken and is no longer a 'playmaker'.

Anquan Boldin: Nationally, fingers immediately pointed to Boldin assuming No. 1 receiver duties in San Francisco. That's a long shot. While Boldin deserves major kudos for an outstanding playoff performance, he's experienced a three-year decline in playmaking ability and does not run well or separate from coverage entering his age-33 season. I don't think Baalke and Harbaugh will ask Boldin to do things he's not capable of doing, like carrying a team's receiving load for a 16-game schedule. He is strictly a complementary puzzle piece. Crabtree's loss could contribute to a few more targets, but ultimately Boldin's outlook is not greatly affected. He is a role player.

again, we can really use Boldin's role......to move the chains, a sure handed receiver, a good blocker. but the 'playmaking' will come from whomever's on the other side, whether one player or shared.

 

[MHSL82]

I feel Kaep was going to spread it around more and defenses were going to focus more on Crabtree resulting in fewer than the 96 extrapolated catches (as targets could go down) but maybe more yards per catch.

Could this injury knock his contract leverage down enough for us to keep him? I doubt it, but maybe.