Case For Crabtree?
By djlombardi
Could Michael Crabtree be available at No. 9 in the NFL Draft? And if so, what will Ted Thompson and the Packers do at this juncture?
We all know that Thompson goes Best Player Available in the NFL Draft; picking Jordy Nelson with his first pick last year shows it. But what would happen if the Packers are faced with having Crabtree as their highest rated player available and being on the clock on April 25?
Packers Lounge shows that the Packers have done this before, in 2005 when Aaron Rodgers was drafted in the first round with no real need at quarterback for the team. And they think Crabtree could happen.
"I still think we could end up with Crabtree. And boy will people be pissed. They will freak out, saying that we don’t need a wide receiver right now or say Ted is trying to force Donald Driver into retirement."
Given how the Brett Favre drama went down in Green Bay, Thompson’s detractors would be the first to point out that they are trying to force Driver out. However, drafting Crabtree wouldn’t not be a totally stupid move. Rodgers is a young quarterback and young quarterbacks can never have too many weapons. Right now teams key on Greg Jennings for the whole game, shading coverage over to Driver in key spots because of the trust the team has for his hands. But after Jennings and Driver, there isn’t much on the offense. Ryan Grant barely showed anything in 2008, and James Jones was in the backseat for most of last season. If everyone on the offense would run on all cylinders, drafting Crabtree would definitely be unnecessary, but because of the struggles of the offense in 2008, adding the Texas Tech product would not be a negative. Teams would have to watch Jennings, Driver, and Crabtree. A few years down the line, the Packers would have Jennings and Crabtree as their first two wide receivers, with a big Nelson in the slot. It makes sense.
Tom Silverstein over at JSOnline examines Crabtree’s college career and his possibilities in the pros. If Crabtree is available, he sees the chance the Packers could snatch him up.
Basically, with Thompson at the helm on draft day, anything is possibly. Don’t be surprised if Crabtree falls, that the Packers pick him. I’d be pretty shocked too. But try not to be surprised if it happens.