Michael Crabtree may have shot himself in the foot when he decided to hold out these past four weeks of the season. The reason for this is that Crabtree pretty much lost all leverage when the 49ers started the season hot. After their winning streak, Eugene Parker knew he had to act quickly and get his client signed. His contract is a rather interesting one and is full of quirky clauses.
Here’s the deal:
- Crabtree signed a 6-year/$32 million contrac.
- The 6th year is optional based on performance.
- If a certain amount of stats are reached, the contract will turn to a 5 year/$28 million deal.
- Discretionary Salary Advance – The 49ers pay Crabtree with the ability to get the cash back (minus the bonuses) in the event of a holdout, suspension, etc.
- Diva Clause – some cash is tied to this clause which says that if Crabtree does not attend all mandatory functions and does not attend about 90 percent of the Niners’ voluntary events, San Fran can void all escalators tied to the clause.
I like to look at this contract as a “You Should Have Signed Earlier” contract. The reason for this is that many news sources say that the deal offered to Crabtree after the draft did not have any of this special language in it. It was a simple contract.
Sometimes when you roll the dice and take a risk such as the one Crabtree took, you lose. While Crabtree will get paid, he is definitely walking on eggshells in the Bay Area.