Loomis: Saints will franchise Graham as a tight end if no long-term deal

Attached Thumbnails · 01-21-2014, 12:04 PM

Saints tight end Jimmy Graham has finished the final year of his rookie deal, leaving the Saints with a couple of choices if they don’t want to risk losing him as a free agent.

They can sign Graham to a long-term deal or they can use the franchise tag, a choice that’s fraught with its own potential trouble for New Orleans. By NFL rule, players are given a franchise tag at the position where they participated in the most plays and Graham was used as a traditional, in-line tight end just one-third of the time during the 2013 season. That could set up a fight about whether Graham should be treated as a receiver or if the job description of a tight end has changed enough that he still qualifies at that spot.

Loomis: Saints will franchise Graham as a tight end if no long-term deal | ProFootballTalk

Utah_Saint · 01-21-2014, 12:16 PM

Gonna be hard to prove he's a tight end.

ScottF · 01-21-2014, 12:29 PM

First salvo fired

ScottF · 01-21-2014, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by Utah_Saint

Gonna be hard to prove he's a tight end.

because of the no-blocking thing?

TheOak · 01-21-2014, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by Utah_Saint

Gonna be hard to prove he's a tight end.

Nahhh. Not really. Jimmy Graham will prove it for the team. The WR tag changes Jimmy's future more than just compensation wise and he knows it.

Is he a top 2 TE? yes
Is he a top 10 WR? Very arguable.
Could he get into the Hall of Fame as a TE? Yep
Could he get into the Hall of Fame as a WR? Nope
Is he capable of breaking a lot of TE records? Yep
Is he capable of breaking a lot of WR records? Nope.

IF we tag him as a WR he will still play the same roll but he will fall into a different category for records and HoF.

He will no longer be compared to Gonzo and Gronk.. Just realized all you need for an epic tight end is a last name that starts with a G . LOL

He will be compared to Megtron, Rice, Owens, Moss.... And that he is not.

ScottF · 01-21-2014, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by TheOak

Nahhh. Not really. Jimmy Graham will prove it for the team. The WR tag changes Jimmy's future more than just compensation wise and he knows it.

Is he a top 2 TE? yes
Is he a top 10 WR? Very arguable.
Could he get into the Hall of Fame as a TE? Yep
Could he get into the Hall of Fame as a WR? Nope
Is he capable of breaking a lot of TE records? Yep
Is he capable of breaking a lot of WR records? Nope.

IF we tag him as a WR he will still play the same roll but he will fall into a different category for records and HoF.

He will no longer be compared to Gonzo and Gronk.. Just realized all you need for an epic tight end is a last name that starts with a G . LOL

He will be compared to Megtron, Rice, Owens, Moss.... And that he is not.

don't forget pro bowl... this year he is one of 5, easy call
is he undergoes the transformation would he go? probably, but he was 15th in yards, 13th in catches.
Not that anyone cares about the Pro Bowl, but most players have it in their contract, some even as high as $300,000

alleycat_126 · 01-21-2014, 12:42 PM

Can't they use the exclusive rights tag like they used on Brees.... Don't want anyone talking to him.....

Utah_Saint · 01-21-2014, 12:49 PM

It'll be interesting to see what he does.

The TE tag would be 6.9 million a year. The Wide Receiver 11.7 million. That's a difference 4.8 million per year. And it will help determine where the negotiations begin for his next contract.

That's a lot of money to walk away from.

halloween 65 · 01-21-2014, 12:51 PM

What could be the advantages of putting a non-exclusive tag on him. I understand the exclusive but not the non-exclusive.

halloween 65 · 01-21-2014, 01:07 PM

Just read up on the non-exclusive, thats the way to go. If a team really wants him 2 first rounders would be great. Loomis play hardball, sign him for his worth or get 2 first round picks, win, win.

01-21-2014, 12:04 PM	#1
Threaded by QBREES9 Moderator Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: New Haven Ct Posts: 23,982 Rating: (0 votes - average) Saints tight end Jimmy Graham has finished the final year of his rookie deal, leaving the Saints with a couple of choices if they don’t want to risk losing him as a free agent. They can sign Graham to a long-term deal or they can use the franchise tag, a choice that’s fraught with its own potential trouble for New Orleans. By NFL rule, players are given a franchise tag at the position where they participated in the most plays and Graham was used as a traditional, in-line tight end just one-third of the time during the 2013 season. That could set up a fight about whether Graham should be treated as a receiver or if the job description of a tight end has changed enough that he still qualifies at that spot. Loomis: Saints will franchise Graham as a tight end if no long-term deal \| ProFootballTalk Attached Thumbnails
Views: 5318

01-21-2014, 12:16 PM	#2
Utah_Saint Site Donor 2019 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 3,521	Re: Loomis: Saints will franchise Graham as a tight end if no long-term deal Gonna be hard to prove he's a tight end.

01-21-2014, 12:29 PM	#3
ScottF 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Atlanta Posts: 6,324	Re: Loomis: Saints will franchise Graham as a tight end if no long-term deal First salvo fired

01-21-2014, 12:30 PM	#4
ScottF 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Atlanta Posts: 6,324	Re: Loomis: Saints will franchise Graham as a tight end if no long-term deal Originally Posted by Utah_Saint Gonna be hard to prove he's a tight end. because of the no-blocking thing? TheKillerBs, Cruize and Utah_Saint like this.

01-21-2014, 12:31 PM	#5
TheOak 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Cypress Tx. Posts: 18,978	Re: Loomis: Saints will franchise Graham as a tight end if no long-term deal Originally Posted by Utah_Saint Gonna be hard to prove he's a tight end. Nahhh. Not really. Jimmy Graham will prove it for the team. The WR tag changes Jimmy's future more than just compensation wise and he knows it. Is he a top 2 TE? yes Is he a top 10 WR? Very arguable. Could he get into the Hall of Fame as a TE? Yep Could he get into the Hall of Fame as a WR? Nope Is he capable of breaking a lot of TE records? Yep Is he capable of breaking a lot of WR records? Nope. IF we tag him as a WR he will still play the same roll but he will fall into a different category for records and HoF. He will no longer be compared to Gonzo and Gronk.. Just realized all you need for an epic tight end is a last name that starts with a G . LOL He will be compared to Megtron, Rice, Owens, Moss.... And that he is not. ScottF likes this.
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01-21-2014, 12:41 PM	#6
ScottF 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Atlanta Posts: 6,324	Re: Loomis: Saints will franchise Graham as a tight end if no long-term deal Originally Posted by TheOak Nahhh. Not really. Jimmy Graham will prove it for the team. The WR tag changes Jimmy's future more than just compensation wise and he knows it. Is he a top 2 TE? yes Is he a top 10 WR? Very arguable. Could he get into the Hall of Fame as a TE? Yep Could he get into the Hall of Fame as a WR? Nope Is he capable of breaking a lot of TE records? Yep Is he capable of breaking a lot of WR records? Nope. IF we tag him as a WR he will still play the same roll but he will fall into a different category for records and HoF. He will no longer be compared to Gonzo and Gronk.. Just realized all you need for an epic tight end is a last name that starts with a G . LOL He will be compared to Megtron, Rice, Owens, Moss.... And that he is not. don't forget pro bowl... this year he is one of 5, easy call is he undergoes the transformation would he go? probably, but he was 15th in yards, 13th in catches. Not that anyone cares about the Pro Bowl, but most players have it in their contract, some even as high as $300,000

01-21-2014, 12:42 PM	#7
alleycat_126 1000 Posts + Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Katy, Tx a suburb of Houston Posts: 2,089	Re: Loomis: Saints will franchise Graham as a tight end if no long-term deal Can't they use the exclusive rights tag like they used on Brees.... Don't want anyone talking to him.....

01-21-2014, 12:49 PM	#8
Utah_Saint Site Donor 2019 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 3,521	Re: Loomis: Saints will franchise Graham as a tight end if no long-term deal It'll be interesting to see what he does. The TE tag would be 6.9 million a year. The Wide Receiver 11.7 million. That's a difference 4.8 million per year. And it will help determine where the negotiations begin for his next contract. That's a lot of money to walk away from.

01-21-2014, 12:51 PM	#9
halloween 65 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Grand Haven, Michigan by way of a little Mississippi River town in Louisiana Posts: 5,893	Re: Loomis: Saints will franchise Graham as a tight end if no long-term deal What could be the advantages of putting a non-exclusive tag on him. I understand the exclusive but not the non-exclusive.

01-21-2014, 01:07 PM	#10
halloween 65 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Grand Haven, Michigan by way of a little Mississippi River town in Louisiana Posts: 5,893	Re: Loomis: Saints will franchise Graham as a tight end if no long-term deal Just read up on the non-exclusive, thats the way to go. If a team really wants him 2 first rounders would be great. Loomis play hardball, sign him for his worth or get 2 first round picks, win, win. jeanpierre likes this.

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