Niners play-caller Greg Roman isn't giving away any secrets about San Francisco's new-look offense, but we do know one thing: Michael Crabtree is all the rage.
Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group reported Thursday that the sixth-year wide receiver looked "fully recovered" from last year's Achilles tear during the team's minicamp this week.
"At the end of last year he still wasn't 100 percent," quarterback Colin Kaepernick said of Crabtree. "He has a lot more burst to him now. Looks really good."
Crabtree was far from hobbled upon his return last season, catching 19 balls at 14.95 yards per reception over San Francisco's final five games. His 13 grabs in three playoff tilts also included an eight-catch, 125-yard scorching of the Packersin the wild-card round.
"He's a lot more explosive," Anquan Boldin said. "I see him being back to his old self. He's taking things slowly. We want to make sure he goes into the season healthy."
Assuming as much, Roman's revised attack is a lock to expand the passing game to test Kaepernick's ceiling through the air. That was impossible last season, with just one wideout -- Boldin -- catching more than 19 passes.
With Stevie Johnson and rookie Bruce Ellington alongside Boldin, Vernon Davis (assuming he shows) and a fully operational Crabtree -- the 49ers have the horses to diversify this traditionally run-happy attack.
In the latest edition of the "Around The League Podcast," the guys make the case that multiple teams have closed the gap on the Seahawks and 49ers in the NFC.