11-Year Veteran WR Michael Crabtree Cut by Cardinals After 3 Games

The Arizona Cardinals announced the release of veteran receiver Michael Crabtree Monday afternoon.

Crabtree vaguely addressed the news with a tweet saying to "stay ready":

Arizona agreed to a one-year contract with Crabtree on Aug. 21. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport added that Crabtree "will eventually earn" $1.75 million in base salary to go along with his $500,000 signing bonus.

"He never looked like a fit in the offense, especially when it became clear that Damiere Byrd and KeeSean Johnson had earned their way into the team's top four receivers," Darren Urban of the team's official website wrote following the announcement.

Johnson was selected in the sixth round of this year's NFL draft, while Byrd is in his fourth NFL season but first in Arizona. Meanwhile, 36-year-old All-Pro Larry Fitzgerald leads the Cardinals receiving corps with 253 yards and two touchdowns on 18 receptions and 31 targets.

According to Urban, Crabtree played 13 of the Cardinals' 75 offensive snaps against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday and 18 of 57 in Week 2 against Baltimore. The 32-year-old was inactive for Arizona's regular-season opener against Detroit. 

Through two games with Arizona, Crabtree posted four catches on five targets for 22 yards and no touchdowns.

At 0-2-1, it makes sense for the Cardinals to trim the proverbial fat as rookie head coach and reputed offensive connoisseur Kliff Kingsbury looks to get the team on track. 

As for Crabtree, it's unclear where his next opportunity in the league could come. However, he is not that far removed from being integrally involved in an offense. Last season, he started all 16 games for the Baltimore Ravens and notched 607 yards and three touchdowns. Moreover, his 100 targets were most among Ravens receivers.

Crabtree was drafted 10th overall in 2009 by the San Francisco 49ers, whom he played for until 2014. It was his most productive stretch in the NFL with 4,327 yards and 26 touchdowns on 12.5 yards per reception. 

From 2015-17, the Texas Tech product moved up the California coastline and joined the Oakland Raiders. Crabtree remained valuable with 2,543 yards and 25 touchdowns. 

As an aside, it's a shame that Crabtree's tenure in Arizona didn't last until the Cardinals face in-division foes San Francisco and Los Angeles. It would have set up a rematch between the receiver and 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman, who called him out after the 2013 NFC Championship Game, and Rams cornerback Aqib Talib, who snatched his chain during an in-game fight.