Jimmy Graham to get franchise tag

[Johnnydollaz89]

The New Orleans Saints will use their franchise tag on tight end Jimmy Graham before Monday's deadline, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
The move is expected -- and it likely will set off a groundbreaking battle over whether Graham should officially be considered a tight end or a wide receiver.
Graham and his agent, Jimmy Sexton, likely will file a grievance through the players' association, asking that Graham be considered a receiver because he lined up out wide or in the slot on 67 percent of his snaps last season.

[+] Enlarge John David Mercer/USA TODAY SportsJimmy Graham had a league-high 16 touchdown catches in 2013. He's scored 41 times in 62 games.



It's a significant distinction.
The franchise tags for tight ends and receivers are expected to be about $6.7 million and $11.5 million, respectively. A favorable ruling would give one side serious leverage in long-term contract negotiations.
The Saints are adamant that Graham is a tight end. As general manager Mickey Loomis said recently, "Isn't that what we drafted him as? Isn't that what he made the Pro Bowl as? That's what we see him as, a tight end."
Graham's camp would counter that the league's collective bargaining agreement specifically states the franchise tag designation is based on the position "at which the franchise player participated in the most plays during the prior league year."
A neutral third-party arbitrator would be agreed upon by the NFLPA and the league's management council to hear arguments.
Graham, a third-round draft choice in 2010, has quickly emerged as one of the most prolific tight ends in the league. During his four-year Saints career, he has 301 receptions for 3,863 yards and 41 touchdowns -- including a league-high 16 touchdown catches last season.
At some point, Graham will almost certainly become the highest-paid tight end in NFL history, surpassing the $9 million average salary of New England's 2012 contract extension with Rob Gronkowski. However, Graham's side may seek well more than $10 million per year, a total that would be more in line with what wide receivers who put up similar stats are paid.

Jimmy Graham to receive franchise tag from New Orleans Saints - ESPN

Oh he must be pissed about this.

 

[bksballer89]

he should be

 

[Shanemansj13]

It sucks he will miss out on a lot of money. But the facts are he is TE not a WR.

 

[Midnightangel]

Get ready for a knock down drag out.

BAD move by NO, IMO.

I think they will get a deal done sometime mid summer as they did with Drew Brees but then slapping him with a TE tag is going to make him ask for more money just out of principal.

Way to piss they guy off you want to resign.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

I think Jimmy Graham is more a product of that offense and Drew Brees than anything, but whatever. TE is important but it's not HUGE guaranteed money important (IMO). I rarely see TEs take over games. I can count the ones that did on a couple hands compared to WRs, RBs, and QBs.

Jimmy Graham also has a top 5 (arguably top 3) QB throwing him the ball.

 

[NinerSickness]

I think Jimmy Graham is more a product of that offense and Drew Brees than anything,

You didn't watch him at Miami very much did you?

I was extremely upset when the Niners drafted NaVorrow Bowman over him in '10. Turns out the pick worked out anyway, but I still wanted Jimmy.

 

[SonnyCID]

Get ready for a knock down drag out.

BAD move by NO, IMO.

I think they will get a deal done sometime mid summer as they did with Drew Brees but then slapping him with a TE tag is going to make him ask for more money just out of principal.

Way to piss they guy off you want to resign.

They can't let a player of his caliber get to free agency. As long as they are still making a big effort to get a long term deal done its the right thing to do right now.

 

[seahawksfan234]

If Graham had a problem with being considered a TE he would have requested to be moved on the depth chart to WR. It's not about the position, it is about the money.

 

[JDM]

He's going to win this. And he should.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

He's going to win this. And he should.

You sure about that? I'd give it at best 50/50.

 

[MarkOU]

I feel so bad for him. He must be super stressed out.

 

[JDM]

If he doesn't it's bullshit. He's a WR.


That's where they play him 2/3 of the time; that's what they should pay him as.

 

[Stevein2012]

If he doesn't it's bullshit. He's a WR.


That's where they play him 2/3 of the time; that's what they should pay him as.

Yeah, I think the CBA pretty clearly states that a players position regarding the franchise tag is the position that he played the most snaps in. For Graham that would be WR.

 

[Midnightangel]

They can't let a player of his caliber get to free agency. As long as they are still making a big effort to get a long term deal done its the right thing to do right now.

Then tag him as a WR - yes it ties up extra money but in the long run it could save you some.

 

[SonnyCID]

Then tag him as a WR - yes it ties up extra money but in the long run it could save you some.

Then they're marking up his value 4-5 million per year on the long term contract. I know he lines up outside a lot, but it's still against LBs, safeties and nickel/dime corners. The WRs pushing the tag number up don't scheme for matchups every play, they line up against the best cover guys on the opposing team.

Any team in the league would tag him as a TE. No team would pay him top receiver money because they understand he doesn't do what top receivers do.

 

[Midnightangel]

Then they're marking up his value 4-5 million per year on the long term contract. I know he lines up outside a lot, but it's still against LBs, safeties and nickel/dime corners. The WRs pushing the tag number up don't scheme for matchups every play, they line up against the best cover guys on the opposing team.

Any team in the league would tag him as a TE. No team would pay him top receiver money because they understand he doesn't do what top receivers do.

You sure?

1,200 receiving yards has him 15th in the league ahead of Larry Fitzgerald and Anquon Boldin.

His 16 TD's are 1st in the league - not just among TE's but lead ALL receivers.

He had 19 plays in 20 yards or better, sitting him at 9th on that and 5 plays over 40 yards, putting him at 10th on that.

When you look at his stats he's surrounded by WR's, not TE's.

So are you SURE he's not doing what 'top' WR's do?

Cause according to the stats....he is.

 

[SonnyCID]

You sure?

1,200 receiving yards has him 15th in the league ahead of Larry Fitzgerald and Anquon Boldin.

His 16 TD's are 1st in the league - not just among TE's but lead ALL receivers.

He had 19 plays in 20 yards or better, sitting him at 9th on that and 5 plays over 40 yards, putting him at 10th on that.

When you look at his stats he's surrounded by WR's, not TE's.

So are you SURE he's not doing what 'top' WR's do?

Cause according to the stats....he is.

According to the stats, there are a lot of QBs with much better ypc than RBs, should they switch positions?

I get that he's very productive, but he's productive because they find mismatches for him. I would want to see him line up outside against premiere cover guys snap in, snap out before I paid him like them.

 

[Midnightangel]

According to the stats, there are a lot of QBs with much better ypc than RBs, should they switch positions?

I get that he's very productive, but he's productive because they find mismatches for him. I would want to see him line up outside against premiere cover guys snap in, snap out before I paid him like them.

If they're lining up the QB at the RB position most of the time, they might want to consider it.

He's listed as a TE but lining up as a WR most of the time and has the yardage, TD's, etc to go along with that.

It's like the Saints want to have it both ways....they want him to have the productivity of a WR but only want to pay him like a TE. That's not right, man.

He's the leading receiver on their team and they should pay him accordingly. Why should a WR that produces LESS on the field than him get paid MORE money?

 

[Logicallylethal]

Wes Welker is a good example

During his time in New England you could argue that he put up numbers just as good if not better than any other #1 wr in the league...yet he was never paid as a #1 wr...because at the end of the day he's just a slot guy

He can put up the big numbers because of the system and the qb throwing to him but he can't do what a Calvin Johnson, Demayrius Thomas, AJ Green, Brandon Marshall, etc. does on the outside

And that's what people mean when they say Jimmy Graham isn' a WR. He's a tight end and he beats linebackers and safeties or nickel corners. He may put up numbers similar to a top end WR but he can't do the things that they do and consistently line up against the opposing team's top corner on the outside and put up the same numbers.

Look at the games when he's had to face a top defense or when a top corner lines up with him

New England - 0 catches 0 yards
Seattle - 3 catches 42 yards and then 1 catch 8 yards in the playoffs
San Fran - 6 catches 41 yards
St. Louis - 2 catches 25 yards

The only really good game he had against a good defense was Arizona (9 rec 134 yds). Against Carolina he was okay (58 yards and 73 yds)...had 3 tds and some big catches though I'll give him that

But overall...is he worth 9-10 million a year...of course. But is he a wide receiver and should he get paid like a top end wide receiver? No way

 

[Midnightangel]

Wes Welker is a good example

During his time in New England you could argue that he put up numbers just as good if not better than any other #1 wr in the league...yet he was never paid as a #1 wr...because at the end of the day he's just a slot guy

He can put up the big numbers because of the system and the qb throwing to him but he can't do what a Calvin Johnson, Demayrius Thomas, AJ Green, Brandon Marshall, etc. does on the outside

And that's what people mean when they say Jimmy Graham isn' a WR. He's a tight end and he beats linebackers and safeties or nickel corners. He may put up numbers similar to a top end WR but he can't do the things that they do and consistently line up against the opposing team's top corner on the outside and put up the same numbers.

Look at the games when he's had to face a top defense or when a top corner lines up with him

New England - 0 catches 0 yards
Seattle - 3 catches 42 yards and then 1 catch 8 yards in the playoffs
San Fran - 6 catches 41 yards
St. Louis - 2 catches 25 yards

The only really good game he had against a good defense was Arizona (9 rec 134 yds). Against Carolina he was okay (58 yards and 73 yds)...had 3 tds and some big catches though I'll give him that

But overall...is he worth 9-10 million a year...of course. But is he a wide receiver and should he get paid like a top end wide receiver? No way

And that brings us back to why should a WR that puts up less numbers get paid more money?