NFL Rumors: Raiders’ Michael Crabtree To Return To Team In 2018

The Oakland Raiders won’t jettison Michael Crabtree before they leave for Las Vegas.

The Raiders wide receiver will return to the team for the 2018 season, The Athletic’s Vic Tafur reported Tuesday, citing NFL sources. Some speculated the Raiders would cut Crabtree ahead of the March 14 start of the NFL’s new league year, but the team reportedly intends to include him on its roster next season and perhaps ask him to restructure his contract, which will pay him $7.5 million in 2018.

Crabtree endured a difficult end to last season amid a rocky relationship with former coach Jack Del Rio and the team’s sinking fortunes. But new Raiders coach Jon Gruden met with Crabtree this month and offered the wide receiver a fresh start.

Crabtree caught 58 passes for 618 yards and eight touchdowns last season, a steep drop from his 2016 numbers. But The Raiders are willing to see whether he’ll return to his previous heights in their final season in Oakland.