A year ago, Michael Crabtree had something to prove.
The former 49ers wide receiver had signed with the Raiders after an offseason in which he no longer was wanted by his first pro team and saw his value in free agency limited.
But after a big first season with the Raiders in 2015, Crabtree earned a nice four-year contract extension worth a potential $32 million.
Now the 28-year-old pass catcher – coming off a season with 85 catches, 922 yards and nine touchdowns – is having a more quiet camp. He’s already proven his worth to Oakland, and is showing it every day in practice as part of a talented receiving corps for third-year quarterback Derek Carrr.
On Sunday, he was reported to have made a series of nice catches, including one on a short route while being covered by No. 1 cornerback Sean Smith. In one early practice, he was unstoppable on a series of slant passes his way.
Head coach Jack Del Rio is a big fan of his veteran wide receiver, who is just 68 catches shy of reaching 500 for his NFL career.
“Michael, he’s been the same guys since Day 1 of arriving last offseason,” Del Rio told reporters after Sunday’s training camp practice in Napa. “He’s been terrific. He’s come in, been a really good teammate, he’s a great leader in the locker room for us. He comes out here and works hard every day.
Raiders
“He’s got unbelievable hands. He’s got an understanding of how to get open in this league and how to make plays. Quarterbacks consider him very friendly because, you know, Michael knows what to do. He’s very reliable … He’s doing his thing.”
