Michael Crabtree on being a leader for the Ravens: 'I don't have a choice'

The Ravens new wideout talks about his role as the leader of the team's receiving crew

The Baltimore Ravens gave Michael Crabtree a three-year deal worth up to $21 million this offseason to turn around a subpar receiving corps that is coming off yet another forgettable season. Crabtree, however, will likely be asked to do more than just catch passes to earn his paycheck. He'll also be asked to lead a group of receivers that is considerably younger than him. 

So, what does he think about his role as a leader? When asked about it, he gave a response that Jay Cutler would appreciate.

"I don't have a choice," Crabtree said Thursday, per NFL.com. "I'm going on 10 [years] in the game, and all these guys are three-, four-, first-year guys. That's just my role. At the same time, I'm out there competing like I'm 21, so I'm going to have fun with it."

Actually, it's probably more of a response that Joe Flacco might identify with. After the Ravens drafted Lamar Jackson, who will likely be Flacco's successor, Flacco didn't appear to be all that welcoming toward the rookie. Flacco has since cleared the air, though.

Anyway, Crabtree's not wrong. He's 30 and will turn 31 early in the 2018 season. The average age of the other 13 receivers on the roster is roughly 24 years old. Out of the receivers who will be expected to contribute significantly in the season to come, John Brown is the closest in age to Crabtree and he turned 28 in April. Crabtree has racked up 6,870 yards in his career. Brown's career yardage sits at 2,515. 

At the same time, Crabtree should have bigger priorities than mentoring younger players. Above all else, he needs to prove that he still has the ability to function as a top-level receiver. 

In 2017, after a 2016 season that saw him catch 89 passes for 1,003 yards and eight touchdowns, Crabtree's production dropped to 58 catches and 618 yards, though he still managed to catch eight touchdowns. Crabtree might find it hard to rejuvenate his career in an offense that's quarterbacked by Joe Flacco, but the good news for him is that he'll likely be Flacco's unquestioned top target. Last season, Flacco completed 64.1 percent of his passes for 3,141 yards, 18 touchdowns, 13 picks, and an 80.4 passer rating. 

So maybe it's not good news after all.