Dolphins Offered Michael Crabtree $3 Million
By Andrew Eisch
The Miami Dolphins welcomed free-agent wide receiver Michael Crabtree to a visit in March, but both parties were unable to come to a deal.
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Dolphins were prepared to pay Crabtree nearly $3 million a year to join forces, a deal that would be far south of Crabtree’s expectations.
After abstaining from resigning with the San Francisco 49ers, Crabtree hit the free-agent market looking for the right team. According to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea, Crabtree is willing to “wait however long it takes” to find the team suitable for him.
Coming off of a season where he drew 68 receptions for only four touchdowns, Crabtree is expecting a deal in the neighborhood of $4.5 million, a deal the Dolphins are seemingly not ready to hand out to Crabtree.
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In the neighborhood of Crabtree is the Oakland Raiders, a team that is only about 30 minutes from Crabtree’s previous team, the 49ers. Crabtree is reportedly meeting with the Raiders today, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. The Raiders seem to be a better fit for Crabtree due to their available cap space, allowing them to make a more aggressive approach to the receiver.
Although the Dolphins may not be out of the picture for Crabtree, it is looking less likely Crabtree will find himself in South Florida next season, due to his willingness to wait, and due to the amount the Dolphins offered. Crabtree has also been rumored to connections with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Washington Redskins and the San Diego Chargers.
If the Dolphins are unable to get a deal done with Crabtree soon, the Dolphins might turn to the NFL Draft to fix some of their wide receiver needs. The Dolphins hold the 14th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, as many experts have them selecting Devante Parker from Louisville.