Michael Crabtree:

The 49er draftee out of Texas Tech still hasn’t signed. Shocker, I know. There have not been any major developments since the whole Jets tampering charges story, but I thought I would add a quote or two from our San Fransisco correspondent Matt Barrows. “There’s been a notion floating around that the 49ers don’t need Crabtree and that the receiver wouldn’t fit into their sledge-hammer offense anyway. I disagree. Every account of Crabtree I’ve gotten is that he is as tough as nails on the field and that he loves to block defensive backs as much as he does catch the ball.” And another: “The bigger issue is the reputation of the front office. In the end, that’s what this standoff is all about. Agent Eugene Parker felt that this was a battle he could win. He saw a team that hasn’t had a winning season since 2002, has a team president under the age of 30, and a GM and negotiator under the age of 40.” [Sacramento Bee]