Michael Crabtree wanted to be paid as an impact player — so he waited 165 days to receive what he considers impact money from the San Francisco 49ers.

The former Texas Tech wideout finally signed his NFL contract Wednesday but doesn’t figure to play to the level of his money this season. Few rookie wide receivers do.
Crabtree became the 10th overall choice of the 2009 draft on April 25. But he has not practiced with the 49ers since his selection, sitting out the minicamps and off-season program while recuperating from predraft foot surgery and then missing all of training camp in his contract holdout.
So Crabtree has a lot to learn and so little time to learn it. Only 12 games remain in the regular season.
Crabtree has never played in a conventional offense, which he’ll find in San Francisco. He has never faced an NFL-caliber jam at the line of scrimmage from a cornerback. He was never jostled on Saturdays like he will be on Sundays.
Crabtree also must adjust to the speed of the game. Lining up against the Chicago Bears in November won’t be like lining up against the Baylor Bears last fall. A difficult transition awaits him.
Crabtree was one of 34 wide receivers taken in the 2009 draft. There have been dozens of wideouts selected each April and hundreds upon hundreds taken since the AFL and NFL merged drafts in 1967.
But since then, only nine receivers have managed to post a 1,000-yard season as a rookie. It generally takes a year for receivers to settle into the offensive flow of the NFL.
The 49ers hope Crabtree can be a contributor this fall. He can focus on becoming their primary option and impact player in 2010.