Is Jimmy Graham a Tight End or a Wide Receiver?

[BusSport]

Is Jimmy Graham a tight end or a wide receiver?

Why this matters:

The Saints placed their franchise tag on Graham earlier this month, tendering a $7.04 million offer to the two-time Pro Bowler. Barring a holdout, Graham will play the 2014 season under the distinction of tight end rather than wide receiver.

The 6-foot-7, 260-pound Graham could still opt to file a grievance, asking to be designated instead as a wide receiver, which carries a $12.3 million franchise tag. Graham's camp is believed to be seeking a long-term contract that is more in line with the NFL's top receivers than the league's top tight ends.

The Saints have remained adamant throughout the process that Graham is a tight end

So, what do you all think (vote in the poll!)? Is Jimmy Graham a tight end or a wide receiver?

 

[SonnyCID]

He is a tight end.

 

[sonnyblack65]

He is a tight end.

I concur

 

[wildturkey]

WR. He can't block worth shit so they rarely line him up as a TE on running plays. And the majority of his routes have him lined up as a receiver.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

He's a TE easily. The guy barely puts up over 1,000 yards a season which elite receivers laugh at and he gets more TDs than usual because.... DUR, that's who gets TDs a lot in red zone situations.

Healthy Percy Harvin at #1 wideout compared to Jimmy Graham? I'll take PH ANY day (not talking injuries... 100% healthy) and Percy is getting like $10M a year. Why the F would you pay Graham more than that? Just bring up Percy cause I'm a Hawks fan and know his contract. Plenty of other WRs that I would take over Graham that are getting paid $10+ a year.

Graham deserves a 5 year $45M contract AT MOST.

 

[night]

He is basically Vincent Jackson but lining up at TE.

 

[Schmoopy1000]

well his team says he is a TE & the NFL says he is a TE, then he is a TE. Seems pretty simple to me.
How an arbitrator is gonna say otherwise is beyond me.

 

[AngryNiner]

dude is a TE. Enough with this nonsense.

 

[HammerDown]

dude is a TE. Enough with this nonsense.

Period.

 

[broncosmitty]

This isn't the only thing I wonder about Jimmy. (I voted wide receiver btw)

 

[TDs3nOut]

I think that Graham's agent is pretty clever for recognizing that the TE and WR designations aren't descriptive for a TE who routinely lines up out wide. WRs get paid more than TEs, so if your client routinely lines up out wide, why not try to get him paid like other guys who are labeled WRs?`

 

[HaroldSeattle]

dude is a TE. Enough with this nonsense.

 

[wazzu31]

If he was actually a WR no fan would have heard of him

 

[SteelersPride]

Period.

 

[wildturkey]

I don't think some of you realize just how much he plays like a WR. Go watch his plays and then compare him to Gronk or Tony Gonzalez. It's not even close. He does not block. They don't put him into position to block. In the redzone, half the time they don't even play him. They use Jed Collins as the TE (funny enough cuz he's listed as a FB). If they do use him, its in a wideout fade route. He has a lot more in common with a WR than he does a TE. He's essentially an unstoppable giant slot receiver.

 

[Schmoopy1000]

I don't think some of you realize just how much he plays like a WR. Go watch his plays and then compare him to Gronk or Tony Gonzalez. It's not even close. He does not block. They don't put him into position to block. In the redzone, half the time they don't even play him. They use Jed Collins as the TE (funny enough cuz he's listed as a FB). If they do use him, its in a wideout fade route. He has a lot more in common with a WR than he does a TE. He's essentially an unstoppable giant slot receiver.

that plays TE.

 

[Podunkparte]

I don't think some of you realize just how much he plays like a WR. Go watch his plays and then compare him to Gronk or Tony Gonzalez. It's not even close. He does not block. They don't put him into position to block. In the redzone, half the time they don't even play him. They use Jed Collins as the TE (funny enough cuz he's listed as a FB). If they do use him, its in a wideout fade route. He has a lot more in common with a WR than he does a TE. He's essentially an unstoppable giant slot receiver.

So he's a TE who's shitty at half of his job?

 

[LogicMan]

He and Gronk are essentially redefining the position. Impossible to defend, unless you have a defensive back who is 6 3 or higher and can run like the wind. Teams better adjust to this trend, because its not going away now. CB's get eaten up, safeties too. Giant solid receivers with speed and hands.

 

[RoboticDreams]

He and Gronk are essentially redefining the position. Impossible to defend, unless you have a defensive back who is 6 3 or higher and can run like the wind. Teams better adjust to this trend, because its not going away now. CB's get eaten up, safeties too. Giant solid receivers with speed and hands.

Except Gronk is a hell of a blocker as well. Graham is a shitty blocker and not as skilled a receiver as Gronk is. Graham's only advantage over Gronk is that he isn't constantly hurt.

 

[TDs3nOut]

He and Gronk are essentially redefining the position. Impossible to defend, unless you have a defensive back who is 6 3 or higher and can run like the wind. Teams better adjust to this trend, because its not going away now. CB's get eaten up, safeties too. Giant solid receivers with speed and hands.

You might want to include Julius Thomas on that list, even though I think that "redefining" is overstated, since "TEs" like Shannon Sharpe have been lining up out wide for well over a decade.

As I posted earlier, it's a smart move by Graham's agent to try and get WR, rather than TE, pay for his client.