Jimmy Graham- Is he doing anything? (1 Viewer)

[sfidc3]

Like Ben Watson?

Ben Watson has had some of his best years as a pro after the age of 30...Jimmy Graham will very likely not...so, no, not like Ben Watson...at all....

 

[FootballLady]

Everybody's favorite WR, Colston, started alligator arming balls towards the end as well. There's only so many hits over the middle a pass catcher can endure before they start alligator arming catches. Does it make him soft? no...human? yes. I remember a bunch of times he went down the seam and caught the ball, took the big hit, and held on to the ball...but yeah lets just throw all that out the window because he alligator armed a few towards the end.

And yet Graham had his highest target to catch percentage since becoming a starter that final season with the Saints. He was targeted far less than the season before but had only one fewer catch (85, as opposed to 86 the previous year).

 

[Quiet Storm]

He tore it up in Seattle?

I was confused by that comment as well. He had TDs his second year but really did nothing there. Sure didn't tear it up in Seattle.

 

[saint_drago]

I think Graham would have excelled here. Payton wanted him bad, he was the Saints #1 target in free agency. With Thomas and Kamara, Graham's no longer the focal point of the passing game. A lot of people complain about how Graham was shut down by top defense, but look at Graham's final couple of years in New Orleans. He was the only genuine receiving threat, and he started to get dinged up. Torn Labrum in 2014, foot injury in 2013. That coupled with Colston and Moore's decline... team's knew if they stopped Graham, then the Saints passing game died.

Now if you're an opposing defensive coordinator... your best cover linebacker is going to spend all game chasing after Kamara. Your #1 CB and a safety are devoted to Michael Thomas. Your #2CB and other safety have to play soft and deep because of Ginn and Smith. So who is put on Graham? A defensive end? A run stopping linebacker? A nickle corner? This also isn't factoring in the terrifying re-emergence of Meredith.

Graham is obviously not essential to the offense, but he sure would have made on hell of a cherry on top.

No doubt. Like I said I'm sure Jimmy would do fine in this offense. Having him along with all of these other weapons would've been a handful for sure. But the Packers gave him 10 mill a year on average, which is the highest per year salary in the league. Now for Jimmy Graham circa 2013 that would've been a good deal. But Jimmy hasn't been that guy in years.

 

[Noble Saint]

Everybody's favorite WR, Colston, started alligator arming balls towards the end as well. There's only so many hits over the middle a pass catcher can endure before they start alligator arming catches. Does it make him soft? no...human? yes. I remember a bunch of times he went down the seam and caught the ball, took the big hit, and held on to the ball...but yeah lets just throw all that out the window because he alligator armed a few towards the end.

So he suddenly won’t play scared anymore? Is that the suggestion? He suddenly won’t shy away from contact like he did until he turned 25? I’m not forgetting anything. I’m remembering his good years and I remember everything since.

You act like Graham played here for 15 years and I’m bringing up a couple plays at the end of a long career. You win straw man. Any other scenarios you want to manufacture then argue against lol?

 

[shaihulud]

I am not too sure he will turn a corner. He has had some solid opps recently with their top WRs injured but still is somewhat pedestrian. he has 36 targets on the year.

I got halted by your avatar. How old must one be to know who 'Morgus the Magnificent' was...or, to have watched him on TV? lol

 

[blackadder]

So he suddenly won’t play scared anymore? Is that the suggestion? He suddenly won’t shy away from contact like he did until he turned 25? I’m not forgetting anything. I’m remembering his good years and I remember everything since.

You act like Graham played here for 15 years and I’m bringing up a couple plays at the end of a long career. You win straw man. Any other scenarios you want to manufacture then argue against lol?

The catches over the middle are indeed the toughest in football.

The main reason I think that both Colston and Graham were able to have success with those was the precision of Brees. If those throws are late or off target you hang the receiver out to dry and they get destroyed. Brees always put the ball exactly in the right spot so the receiver still had a chance to get the ball and prepare for the hit.

That being said there was no avoiding the contact in most situations, or getting sandwiched between defenders sometimes. Even with perfect placement you are going to take some punishment.

Graham did take punishment and at the end of his time here got more hesitant. If not just alligator arm's willingness to fully expose himself while going for the ball. Like the poster said, human. That part of his game definitely diminished.

 

[sfidc3]

No doubt. Like I said I'm sure Jimmy would do fine in this offense. Having him along with all of these other weapons would've been a handful for sure. But the Packers gave him 10 mill a year on average, which is the highest per year salary in the league. Now for Jimmy Graham circa 2013 that would've been a good deal. But Jimmy hasn't been that guy in years.

Agree he would do fine but we don't need him, I think GB waaaayyyyy overpaid for him and won't get the production they expect from him. Besides Ben Watson and Josh Hill are doing just fine for us, at a fraction of the cost...I'm just floored that people still give two shats about Jimmy Graham....

 

[blackadder]

Agree he would do fine but we don't need him, I think GB waaaayyyyy overpaid for him and won't get the production they expect from him. Besides Ben Watson and Josh Hill are doing just fine for us, at a fraction of the cost...I'm just floored that people still give two shats about Jimmy Graham....

Yes, he would do fine because Brees and Payton would create situations for him or take advantage of the matchups that arise, but for the money saved both Watson and Hill are stepping up when called upon, and still not sure about how Graham feels about the circumstances in which he left.

He was definitely upset and trash talked the organization. There was some bitterness that may or may not be resolved. But you would think if everything returned to being warm and fuzzy he might have signed with the Saints over the Packers and not made absolute highest $ amount the deciding factor. He might have gotten more out of Green Bay but I would imagine the Saints offer was comparable.

 

[CRESS_137]

Tight End numbers. Poor guy convinced himself he was a receiver, because he benefitted from DB and SP.
Some guys just can't leave well enough alone.

 

[thetownedrunkard]

If the saints hadn’t splurged on Kurt Coleman they could have brought him in. Guarantee he would have been putting up bigger numbers here.

No doubt, we could have just just resigned Vaccaro for the role Coleman is playing, just early down run stuffing safety. Or waited a little longer and got the honey badger for a bit more. He would have been a difference maker and can actually play the slot.

I never wanted to pay Jimmy what he got at his age. Maybe 7 mill a year at most. He just gets injured to often. I think the person we really missed out on was Ebron. He's young and is in the same physical freak mode as Jimmy. He just never got his head in the game in Detroit and drops a lot of passes, but he's tearing it up in Indy this year. Also hoping TB gets rid of Cameron Brate after this year if OJ continues to emerge....

 

[shaihulud]

I've said before that Seattle thought they were getting the Jimmy Graham that Drew Brees threw to. Instead, they got the one that Wilson would throw to. Wilson isn't Brees and Pete Carroll is Sean Payton.

 

[Challenger]

I think he would struggle here. His last year was pretty tough when he was dealing with injuries. He's older now and is past those prime years. Our offense is quite different now from how it was in Graham's years, now that we have a true #1 receiver and a stronger run game.

Those are things that would have benefited him in our system not hinder.

We had a top rushing attack in 2011 (even averaged more rushing yards per game than in 2017) and he had his breakout season which remains one of his best.

Then again, as has already been mentioned, he was much younger then, and Colston, Moore, Meachem, and Henderson still had a year or two of their prime left and hadn't yet started to age out of their roles.

We did not have as much of a rushing attack in his other years with us, however, and towards the end of his time here, as has also been mentioned, he was our only receiving target that elicited fear in opponents. I think now we would have the supporting cast around him to spread it around more like we did in some of our more successful offenses (assuming they continue to build on what they did last game), which would take some of the attention off of him. Graham, however, is not the same player he was before; age and injuries have likely caught up, so it's hard to say how much of a difference he'd make. Maybe he'd dominate, or maybe he just is what he is at this point.

Also, although I obviously can't know for sure what the team would have done if they had managed to re-acquire Graham, I am not sure how it would have affected the decision to go after Meredith and draft Smith. I don't recall Meredith being on the team's radar until they missed out on Graham, Jordy Nelson, and several others. Assuming he and Smith continue to develop and have more games like last week, it is safe to say that they will be a far, far better long-term investment.

 

[Great Dane]

He tore it up in Seattle?

I think he meant "tears in Seattle"

 

[BoNcHiE]

Davis > Graham for our situation. We spent our money well.

But he is on pace for 800 yards while still having to learn a new offense. It's not like he's garbage. I have little doubt he'd dominate here.