WHAT WOULD CRABTREE DO: WORK OUT WITH DILFER

Turns out Michael Crabtree might not be as big of a douchebag as we thought. The unsigned rookie receiver recently worked out with former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer. Dilfer gushed over Crabtree’s ability and said that he was perfectly healthy. I doubt that a playing catch with a former NFL player will really help Crabtree prepare for the NFL. But at least it shows that the holdout has taken some initiative.

Via Sacramento Bee:

The only NFL-caliber quarterback to throw a pass to Michael Crabtree in the last two months? That would be Trent Dilfer, who worked out with Crabtree recently in the Bay Area. Dilfer told me a few moments ago that Crabtree had gotten sick of working with a JUGS machine, and was looking for a live arm. The one rumor that Dilfer said he could put to rest was that Crabtree didn’t want to sign a contract because he was hiding a lingering foot injury. “That’s garbage,” Dilfer said. “He’s perfectly healthy. … He looked good. He looked very fit.”

Dilfer said he did not discuss the contract issue with Crabtree. He said he wanted to provide a service for Crabtree and didn’t want to make him feel uncomfortable. “I told him early on that I would not get involved in any level in that aspect of it,” said Dilfer, who lives in the South Bay, who played two seasons in San Francisco and who is close friends with a number of 49ers.

Crabtree is now on Day 45 of his contract impasse. If he does not sign by Saturday, he will lose his Week One game check. More importantly, the standoff is starting to get into the realm where the 49ers might begin lowering their offer – believed to be 5 years for $20 million total with $16 million guaranteed – because Crabtree will not be factor early in the season. Crabtree, who was rehabilitating from a foot injury in the spring, has yet to practice with his new team.

Tags: football, Michael Crabtree, NFL, san francisco 49ers, trent dilfer