Report: Jimmy Graham and Saints Have Not Talked New Contract (2 Viewers)

[Euphonetiks]

Why sign him now? He already supposedly wants top flight WR money. You let him play for nothing this year and then pay him next year or franchise him.

He will not give you a big discount if you sign him this year compared to next and the money you save from not having to pay him top dollar this year offsets any increase he might seek from better play.

 

[greg8710]

one of the best TE's in the game and he is under 25. We are not letting him leave this great city.

He's 26 but thats still young haha


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[saint_drago]

This would be the time to do rather than he has a monster season next year.

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This. Don't let him play himself out of our price range.

 

[phil413th]

wouldn't expect them too.

Jimmy dropped damn near 20 balls....im not rewarding him for that as a GM


If he comes out and performs this year its almost certain they will take care of him.

Yeah but I'd rather do it now. We could save money no?

 

[TenTwo]

He knows his money is coming, and he also knows that another year with Brees is money in the bank. He could suffer almost any injury next season, and his potential is so set, someone would make him filthy rich, even if he didn't play a down next season. There's no reason for him to rock the boat, and the Saints have other pressing issues at the moment. There's not a soul in the NFL world who thinks JG does not deserve bigtime money. He'll get his, and he knows it. Until then, he needs to work on making his resume stronger by improving on a disappointing 2012 season.

 

[dtc]

You are missing the point.

Those dropped balls could have gone for 1st downs @ critical moments...Several of them actually. Its not about the amount of balls he could have caught or yards he could have gained...he had an off year. Thats a FACT.

Im not saying he had a horrible year but it wasn't wat has come to be expected of him

So as a GM why would i go out and want to reward you after a subpar year compared to the lofty standards you've already set.


Packers didn't do it for Finley and i don't see the point of doing it for Jimmy.

Like i said..we have a history of making guys play out their contracts anyway...above all.. So if he comes out and performs next year he will be rewarderd. Thats basically a guarantee.

You said:

You don't reward a guy after they type of season he had........he could have had over 100 catche and 1000 or so yards.

I mentioned that he had 982 and 85 and there is essentially no difference between 982 and 1000.

If your point was that he shouldn't be re-signed now because he missed 1000 yds by 18 and achieved 982 in 15 less catches than 100, then fine.

Still, there's no real diff between 982 and 1000.

 

[bclemms]

This contract will have almost no impact on Jimmy Graham, here is why.

Graham is not going to be a free agent until 2014. Under his current deal he is going to make about $1.5 million under his current contract.

The only positions in the NFL cheaper to franchise tag than TE are kicker and punter. The figure to tag a TE this season is $5.44 million. Lets say that goes to $6.5 by the time Graham is a free agent in 2014. We could tag him in 2014 and 2015 for a total cost of about $13 million. This means we can keep Graham the next four seasons for about $14.5 million. Over those same 4 seasons the Pats will be paying Gronk about $35 million.

I'm not saying this is the right thing to do because Graham has earned a new contract but given the Saints history of not giving new contracts to young guys until they've played out their rookie contract it is a strong possibillity. Of course when Graham does finally become a free agent there will be no discount for the Saints.

So this current Gronk deal will probably be 4 years old by the time Graham is actually a free agent.

With the Saints short on cash and TE the tag friendliest position I find it highly unlikely they offer Graham a new contract any time soon.

Been saying it for a long time. I'll be a lot more shocked to hear the Saints have discussed a contract with Graham than to hear they haven't.

Problem is, Saints are playing a game of chicken here. If I'm Graham's agent I'm telling him not to step foot on a football field until he has a new deal. If Graham hits free agency he'll make as much money in a game as he will next season. If he gets tagged he'll make almost as much money in a game as he doesall of next season. The one thing that can stand in the way of that is an injury. The pay to production ratio with Graham is probably the biggest gap of any player in the league.


I think we are fools if we don't sign Jared Cook if he can be had at the right price. Not only do we need a backup TE but the two TE sets with Graham would be amazing and we have an insurance option if Graham holds out. I can tell you now if Graham holds out then Loomis isn't going to flinch and will still tag Graham at the end of the season.

Still think we should find a stud LOT, then solidify the TE spot with Cook and then every remaining dollar and draft pick should go to the defense.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

You said:

​

I mentioned that he had 982 and 85 and there is essentially no difference between 982 and 1000.

If your point was that he shouldn't be re-signed now because he missed 1000 yds by 18 and achieved 982 in 15 less catches than 100, then fine.

Still, there's no real diff between 982 and 1000.

Let me simplify it

He had a down year and we usually let guys finish out their contracts.

Didnt expect them to talk

 

[JuggernautSaint]

Lets Not Blow this out of proportion already dude aint going now where he is a building block for this team he's a superstar not going anywhere u can book it!!

 

[dtc]

Let me simplify it

He had a down year and we usually let guys finish out their contracts.

Didnt expect them to talk

I find it quite humorous that having one of the top years ever for a TE is considered "a down year" for Graham only 1 year after he broke the all time record. Given that he's played 3 seasons and occupies the near top of all time stats, it's almost inconceivable that he could be viewed as a risky investment.

Moreover, aside from the Saints' completely terrible cap predicament this year, it's nuts to think the team might be better off waiting a year to sign him long term when after his "down year" and with a year left on his contract we might be able to get him wrapped up for 6 years at a reasonable rate.

Instead, there are people who are actually of the impression we'd be better off letting him play another year at the same level he has the last couple and force us to have to pay him $10mil/yr.

The only reason Graham shouldn't be signed long term right now is because a. we don't have to and b. we can't.

 

[bclemms]

I find it quite humorous that having one of the top years ever for a TE is considered "a down year" for Graham only 1 year after he broke the all time record. Given that he's played 3 seasons and occupies the near top of all time stats, it's almost inconceivable that he could be viewed as a risky investment.

Moreover, aside from the Saints' completely terrible cap predicament this year, it's nuts to think the team might be better off waiting a year to sign him long term when after his "down year" and with a year left on his contract we might be able to get him wrapped up for 6 years at a reasonable rate.

Instead, there are people who are actually of the impression we'd be better off letting him play another year at the same level he has the last couple and force us to have to pay him $10mil/yr.

The only reason Graham shouldn't be signed long term right now is because a. we don't have to and b. we can't.

It is called the franchise tag. We can tag him in back to back seasons for about $11 million bucks. If Loomis signed Graham tonight to a 3 year $11.5 million contract you would call him a genius but that is the same thing we'd have to pay him if we don't sign him long term and tag him in 2014 and 2015.

 

[WhoDat9to12]

Dont the falcons need a new TE?

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

I find it quite humorous that having one of the top years ever for a TE is considered "a down year" for Graham only 1 year after he broke the all time record. Given that he's played 3 seasons and occupies the near top of all time stats, it's almost inconceivable that he could be viewed as a risky investment.

Moreover, aside from the Saints' completely terrible cap predicament this year, it's nuts to think the team might be better off waiting a year to sign him long term when after his "down year" and with a year left on his contract we might be able to get him wrapped up for 6 years at a reasonable rate.

Instead, there are people who are actually of the impression we'd be better off letting him play another year at the same level he has the last couple and force us to have to pay him $10mil/yr.

The only reason Graham shouldn't be signed long term right now is because a. we don't have to and b. we can't.

1 I didnt say wed b better off waiting another year....i gave reasons why wed probable end up waiting another year.

2 when i say an off year. Compare 2012 to 2011...drops tds yds and all
He was inconsistent catching the ball and played nowhere near his 2011 form. Dont agree oh well its fact. He still had a good year YES...but not u to the lofty standards he already set.

For example...if my child had Straight A's. Semester 1
Then got a few c's and a D semester 2 id expect better.


I think jimmy expects better the organization expects better and above all else

WE ARE KNOWN FOR MAKING PLAYERS PLAY OUT THEIR CONTRACTS which overrules all the other reasons im giving

If u disagree go sign him urself....but i see no reason to reward him after a DOWN YEAR

SIMPLE

 

[dtc]

It is called the franchise tag. We can tag him in back to back seasons for about $11 million bucks. If Loomis signed Graham tonight to a 3 year $11.5 million contract you would call him a genius but that is the same thing we'd have to pay him if we don't sign him long term and tag him in 2014 and 2015.

Hasn't the salary cap changed where the 2nd tag costs 150% of the first and, if so, doesn't that mean it will cost us close to 26mil for the next three years?

Wouldn't it be better to get him signed for 5 or 6 at 6-8 per year with a bonus so his cap figure can be managed on a team with dire cap issues?

Either way, we can't sign him now and we can't tag him 2 years in a row without paying the piper.

 

[bclemms]

Hasn't the salary cap changed where the 2nd tag costs 150% of the first and, if so, doesn't that mean it will cost us close to 26mil for the next three years?

Wouldn't it be better to get him signed for 5 or 6 at 6-8 per year with a bonus so his cap figure can be managed on a team with dire cap issues?

Either way, we can't sign him now and we can't tag him 2 years in a row without paying the piper.

A player can be franchised 2 or even 3 years in a row but the cost continues to increase.
Year 1 average of top 5 players at same position. Current tag price for TE is $5.4 million.
Year 2, 20 percent increase to previous season which is $6.48 million.
Year 3, 44 percent increase which is $9.33 million.

The 2013 season Graham is under contract at $500k
2014 tag at $5.4 million
2015 tag at $6.48 million

2016 we could still tag him for $9.33 million if we chose to.

That is equal to paying him $12.5 million over the next 3 seasons and his only choice to avoid this is to sit out the 2014 season and by that time he would be sitting out for more money than he has made his entire career combined.

You are proposing we pay him about $18 million plus a huge bonus over the same period.