After failing to finalize a deal with free agent wide receiver Ryan Grant due to a failed physical, the Baltimore Ravens have now signed a different free agent wide receiver and one who is a former first-round draft pick.
According to several media reports, the Ravens have now signed former Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree to a three-year, $21 million contract that include $11 million in guarantees.
Crabtree, who was released by the Raiders on Thursday, was originally selected by the San Francisco 49ers out of Texas Tech in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. After playing his first six seasons in the NFL with the 49ers, Crabtree signed a one-year, $3.2 million contract with the Raiders in 2015. He then signed a four-year, $35 million contract extension with the Raiders later that same season.
Last season, Crabtree caught 58 passes for 618 yards and 8 touchdowns in the 14 games that he played in. His best season to date was probably in 2012 with the 49ers when he caught 85 passes for 1,105 yards and 9 touchdowns. He hasn’t, however, ever caught more than 89 passes in a single season and will turn 31 years of age in September.
The Ravens chose to part ways with wide receiver Jeremy Maclin a few days ago and don’t seem intent on re-signing veteran free agent wide receiver Mike Wallace, either. Ahead of them coming to terms with Crabtree on Friday, the Ravens signed former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver John Brown to one-year contract on Wednesday that has a base value of $5 million.
In the two career games that Crabtree has played against the Pittsburgh Steelers he has caught a total of 11 passes for 143 yards and 2 touchdowns. Most of those receptions and both touchdowns came in 2015 as a member of the Raiders in 38-35 loss to the Steelers at Heinz Field.
Last season all Ravens wide receivers combined to catch just 146 passes for 1,734 yards and 11 touchdowns.
