The 49ers will square off against a familiar face twice this year. Michael Crabtree is set to sign with the Arizona Cardinals according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Crabtree is back in the NFC West after spending the last four years with Oakland and Baltimore. He originally broke into the NFL as a first-round pick of the 49ers in the 2009 draft.
He played in all 16 games for a run-heavy Ravens club last season. The 31-year-old posted 54 catches for 607 yards and three touchdowns.
Crabtree was an integral part of the 49ers offense early in his career. He caught 347 passes 4,327 yards and 26 touchdowns across 79 games in San Francisco.
He signed with the Raiders following his 49ers tenure and spent three seasons there. He had 232 receptions for 2,543 yards and 25 touchdowns in 46 games in Oakland.
Crabtree joins a relatively young receiving corps in Arizona, alongside rookie quarterback Kyler Murray. The Cardinals spent three draft picks on receivers this year, and Crabtree adds a veteran element to that group with Larry Fitzgerald.
The 49ers and Cardinals face off twice in a three week span this season. They play on Thursday night in Week 9 at Arizona, then again in Week 11 in Santa Clara.
