SmashMouth

The Fourth of July is a day filled with celebrations all over the country, but some of the people involved in the Jimmy Graham franchise tag grievance may not be feeling much like fireworks come Friday morning.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that arbitrator Stephen Burbank expects to inform Graham, the Saints and the NFL of his decision “no sooner, no later” than Thursday. Both sides in the argument over whether Graham should be tagged as a tight end at a cost of $7 million in 2014 or if he should be tagged for the $12.3 million for wide receivers. Whichever way Burbank rules, you’d expect the loser to appeal.

The arbitrator’s ruling would give the two sides a firmer idea of how things will play out and, as a result, a possible framework for a long-term deal. The almost inevitable appeal could make a long-term agreement hard to come by, though, as the Saints and Graham face a July 15 deadline to get such a deal done before they’d have to put it off until after the 2014 season.

Arbitrator expects to issue Graham ruling on Thursday | ProFootballTalk

exile

We were able to finally land on the moon faster than this drawn out decision.

ScottF

Whichever way Burbank rules, you’d expect the loser to appeal.
Appeal? seriously, where does this end? How do you appeal arbitration?

jnormand

Imagine how lame this could get.

saintsfan403

How much lamer it could get*

SmashMouth

Jimmy to Heat for Lebron?

the-commish

You don't. Arbitration is binding on both sides. That does not, however, preclude both sides agreeing to a long-term deal which would have nothing to do financially with the amount of the arbitrator's ruling.

The Dude

I'll believe it when I see it. The deal won't get done till the last possible minute on the 15th anyway. If he is designated as WR I still say sign hi
Just above what Gronk makes. If he turns it down oh well. More money and less shuffling around next year when we have to sign Nicks and Jordan

lee909

The only reason i can see why this is being dragged along is that the league is putting pressure on for a deal to be done prior to any ruling.Both sides probably know the outcome and are negotiating a deal and then no ruling is needed.Any ruling opens a can of worms and they will want this avoided till the CBA is up

Utah_Saint

I agree.