Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

Saints fans everywhere should be holding their breath today as the best receiver on the team gets his injured foot checked out.

Sure, he’s not officially a receiver. But tight end Jimmy Graham is for all practical purposes a receiver who lines up tight to the tackle roughly 40 percent of the time.

Graham, per a league source, is getting an MRI to determine the extent of the injury suffered during Sunday’s loss to the Patriots. In the final year of his contract, Graham has retained the injury risk while the Saints have, as they did with Drew Brees two years ago, delayed getting a deal done for the kind of compensation Graham wants.

Little has been leaked about the negotiations. As best we can tell, Graham wants to be paid like a top receiver. The Saints want to pay him like a top tight end. Given the difference, an impasse has developed.

The impasse likely will hinge on the looming fight over whether Graham is a tight end or a receiver for franchise-tag purposes. Based on how he has been used through six 2013 games, the Saints likely will be losing that argument.

UPDATE 1:50 p.m. ET: A prior version of this story indicated that Graham’s injury was to his knee. It’s a foot injury.

Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot | ProFootballTalk

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

I hope it isnt serious but brees cannot just stare down jimmy every play, first 2 quarters we were completely transparent and predictable

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

I wish the media wouldn't make the contract issue into such a big deal and focus more on the injury. Either that or I wish media outlets would sop employing these mouth breathers.

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

He can beat most coverages with just one foot anyway.

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

Yeah, but he couldn't beat getting mauled by Talib yesterday lol.
Seriously, Talib was draped over Graham like Batman's cape. Considering Talib's gigantic height, it worked.

I think both left the game on mutually effective tit for tat injuries.

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

You guys are going to kill me for this.

I think it would do the offense good if Graham sat out a game or two. He is an amazing, amazing player but we have come to lean on him too much. This might be a chance to get the offense back into balance.

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

I dont think its graham who has to be subjected to that, I think payton and brees need to stop relying on him too much

For the first two quarters, graham ran a slant route and brees watched him run it for about 5 seconds, then threw incomplete

Bring Khiry robinson and pierre in more, use colston and ben watson!!

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

I wouldn't kill you. WTF happened to Colston?? Where is Meachum other than "SUPRISE, we're going deep to Meach!"?? What happened to spreading the ball around to several different receivers during the game?

Too much emphasis on Graham for 2.5 quarters of the game. When we started running the ball (and we did so with authority) is when we started winning the game. I think our ole ball coach Payton is a little rusty on the playcalls.

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

Offense has become predictable my friend, when meachem is in he runs a post route or run blocks

When graham is outwide he runs a slant or a fade, when colston is in he runs a seam route from the slot

We could all guess 10 plays and im guessing from the formations, we'd get 8 of them right

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

Well, if he misses time they will be forced to.

I think both on playcalling on Payton's end, and throwing the ball from Brees' end, getting the ball to Graham is the "safest" thing to do and that's why they do it so often. Our offense has too many tendencies right now.

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

Speaking of staring down.. How is it that with out in-depth knowledge of the Saints offensive play book I know where the ball is going with in 1.5s of the snap?

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

It takes you that long???

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

Maybe drew was staring down jimmy because no one else was getting open or trying to attract more attention to him and way from another target. No one would be complaing if jimmy was catching them when drew is staring him down. I think our offense would take a step back without jimmy or maybe a step in another direction.. Maybe running more or more screens etc.

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

Why would anyone complain over a completed pass? Given it was completed to a Saints WR....

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

Hell a lot of times you can tell before the snap.

If Colston is in the slot and the DB is playing off, it's a slant. If Colston lines up wide it's back shoulder to the sideline. If Moore is on the field it's a drag or buttonhook to the middle. If Graham is lined up tight with no WR on his side, its a quick out. If Graham is tight with a receiver on his side, it's a seam route. If Sproles is lined up to the side of Brees, it's a quick flare pass. If PT is lined up deep, it's a screen. etc. etc. We've been watching the same exact plays for years and years. It's all disguised with motions and different personnel packages and whatnot, but it's the same very basic plays over and over.

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

Gotta agree. Graham is like a drug habit for Payton and Brees. We used to come out of long drives and there were 6 guys who caught a pass. They might as well just sit Colston. He's lucky to get four looks a game these days. The game plan seems to be look for Graham 1st look for Graham 2nd look for Graham 3 then check down or throw it away.

That screen is getting worn out too.

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

I actually think the solution might be to put Graham and Watson both on the same side of the field at the same time more often. If Graham is going to keep drawing so much double coverage then it will put Watson on a linebacker and he'll beat that most of the time. Getting Moore back will help a ton too.

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

Is that why we tried the naked boot and the pitch to the short side in the last drive?

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

I actually think yesterday it was more ego than anything else.

Talib and the Pats said they had the answer for Graham, it seemed Payton/Brees kept trying to prove them wrong...

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

True dat. Not mention when Ingram is in that ....:rolleyes:if only that was true, for despite how good the mauling Patriots D, there were guys open that Brees checkdown "failed" to identify.And some drug it is, rarely failing to give a high this year. Overdosing on Graham last night proved fatal.

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

Colston = 3 targets against Patriots, 2 against Chicago

That's 5 total in 2 Games. Lowest target # in any other single game this season 6 against Atlanta.

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

No, that was because our celebrated returning coach temporarily lost his mind. Seriously, what was that? It is not like the playbook is thin.

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

An MRI is not good. Means their could be ligiment damage. Not a good sign at all. Yea we need to spread the ball around a little more, but not having Jimmy will hurt. Bad.

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

The offense can get better without him with the bye. More time to get Stills, Toon, Meachem and Robinson more involved. Josh Hill is no slouch either. Comeback with a new bag of plays which no team has film on...say if Jimmy sits out a couple of games we just got a lot better is how I see it. I also don't blame Payton for going to the well to often. If it works why would you not do that.

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

I rather jimmy at 100% than any less

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

Get the ball to Kenny Stills that pass form Brees to Stills was awesome!

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

In the back of my mind I am also a little bit worried about Sproles -- he got POPPED near the very end of the game, really popped hard in a collision and was writhing around on the ground for a bit. Unfortunately with the Saints, that's often the kind of thing where nobody says anything about it at the time, and then suddenly we learn much later that the player is out for a month. Hope he's OK.

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

We were a top 5 offense before Jimmy even thought about the NFL.

We'll be fine with or without him.

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

I have yet to drink my glass of Graham Koolaid.

I hope he gets back in two weeks, but it is what it is...
Jimmy crumbles on first contact and yesterday he had two bread-basket drops.

He is a contact-sport player who hates collisions. He handles himself well about half of the time and I cheer when he is in form, but he has a lot of toughening up to do before he needs to be paid as a top receiver.

At the Pats, he was intimidated when Talib didn't bow down and let him run his routs without a fight.

Sean Payton was taken to coaching school in a couple areas yesterday and one was how Belichik was going to deal with our golden boy...

Respect to Graham and a quick return.

Alaska

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

I am not going to pretend to really know what I am talking about, but to me that injury to Graham looked like a turf toe. When they taped him up it looked like to me they wrapped the big toe and across the bottom of the foot. ???

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

Good news:

Sources -- New Orleans Saints hope Jimmy Graham will play after bye week - ESPN

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

No news in that bit. Knowing Payton we won't know until after the next coin toss. He could be fine or out for a month.

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

Love Jimmy to death but I'm noticing he is trying to make too many highlight catches with 1 arm and also keeping his elbows close to his body not extending his arms. I guess he's trying to protect his body from taking too many hits in a contract year.

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

Can you blame him?

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

So Jimmy has a foot

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

I have two so must be twice as good.Ill also play for league minimum.
Not heard of any other 5'7 TE though.

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

It will affect the amount of money he gets!

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

Sproles at te!

Re: Jimmy Graham getting an MRI on his foot
 

This is the deal with Jimmy, if it is over his head he will reach "up" to catch the ball if, it is from the neck to waist and right at him he will not reach "out" to catch it... A lot of the missed catches for Jimmy are because he just didn't reach out with his 4 foot long arms and snatch it out of the air then pull it in, he lets it come to him and that gives defenders a chance to bat it down.


And yes I do blame him for that. The dangerous ones over his head he will stretch out for... Throw it to his face or numbers and he waits for it.