Niners coach Mike Singletary can relate to what’s happening with Michael Crabtree, the 49ers’ first-round pick who remains unsigned.
After all, Singletary said he held out for about a week before signing his rookie deal with the Bears in 1981. He was a second-round pick who felt he should’ve been selected in the first round, he said.
Then, Singletary said he was out for about three weeks of training camp prior to his fifth NFL season. He ended up playing all 16 games as the Bears won the Super Bowl. He said he was ready to sit out all of training camp.
So Singletary said he’ll just focus on the players who have arrived in camp. And, let’s not forget, while the 49ers and Crabtree do not appear to be close to a contract agreement, the 49ers’ first practice is still four days away.
Only four of the 32 first-round picks in the NFL have signed their contracts. The 49ers have submitted multiple contract proposals for Crabtree, a league source said. But the compensation is commensurate to what is expected for the No. 10 overall pick. Crabtree was indeed the No. 10 overall pick, but his agent, Eugene Parker, is seeking a contract of much greater value.
Singletary said Crabtree is healthy and ready to hit the practice field after sitting out the offseason program with a stress fracture in his foot. All he needs is a signed contract.
“Oh, yeah,” Singletary said. “He’s ready to go.”
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–Singletary offered his condolences to the family of Jim Johnson, the longtime Eagles defensive coordinator. Singletary said he did not know Johnson well but he met him on several occasions.
–The 49ers are not getting on the practice field at the earliest allowed by NFL rules. The 49ers can get on the field Friday for their first full-squad practice. However, Singletary decided to have meetings for several days before the 49ers take the field for the first time on Saturday.
“At the end of the day, the last game of the season, I don’t think we’re going to look back and say we should’ve taken that one day,” Singletary said. “I like things to be spelled out very clearly. It’s important to take some time to get to know each other. There are probably 31 other teams that will get a jump on it. They’re probably trying to get out there today, but I guarantee we’ll get all the work we need.”
–Singletary slammed the door shut on any possibility the 49ers might pursue Michael Vick. “It’s a dead issue. In terms of Michael Vick and the 49ers, it’s not happening.”
–Quarterback Shaun Hill cited two areas in which he greatly prefers Jimmy Raye’s offense to the one Mike Martz installed with the 49ers last year. 1) Quarterbacks have the freedom – and the responsibility – to call audibles at the line of scrimmage to get out of “bad plays.” Last year, Martz’s system had adjustments built into the scheme and no audibles were used. 2) “Less volume and more perfection.” Hill said the 49ers have fewer plays in the playbook and there is more of an emphasis on perfecting those plays.
–Defensive end Ray McDonald is still rehabbing his right knee after undergoing ACL surgery this offseason. He will begin training camp on the physically-unable-to-perform list. I’ll update when I learn of any other players who might open camp on that list.
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