RockyMountainSaint

Graham’s contract status somehow stays under the radar | ProFootballTalk
When a high-profile player enters the last year of his contract, it’s usually a big deal.

“Usually” is the operative term because, when it comes to Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, no one seems to notice that one of the best young players in the NFL is careening toward free agency, with no sign that the Saints can or will give him a new deal.

A third-round pick in 2010, Graham has seen New England 2010 second-rounder Rob Gronkowski and New England 2010 fourth-rounder Aaron Hernandez get long-term deal after the 2011 season. You know, the same season in which Graham ping-ponged with Gronk for the single-season tight end receiving yardage record.

To his credit, Graham doesn’t complain about the lack of a new contract. His camp doesn’t piss and/or moan privately to the press about the team’s failure to shift the injury risk (see Gronkowski and Hernandez) away from a player who arguably has earned that privilege.

As a result, hardly anyone realizes Graham is in a contract year. On Tuesday, he spoke to the media in connection with the team’s mandatory minicamp, and the transcript shows not a single question about his contract. There’s also not a single answer alluding to his desire to get paid.

“Everything is going well,” Graham said. “I’ve been in rehab and I’ve been getting stronger. Right now I’m almost 100 percent. Going into camp, I’ll be 100 percent. It just feels good. It just feels good to be healthy finally and back playing like myself. . . . Now I am healthy and just looking to the future and looking to get back in the playoffs.”

If he performs well, the Saints will find themselves in a potential predicament. A multi-million-dollar franchise-tag fight is looming on the question of whether he’s a tight end or a receiver (it surely is).

Regardless of how it’s resolved, the Saints may not have the cap room to use either level of the tag on Graham. As Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com recently pointed out, the Saints have $143.4 million in salary commitments for 2014.

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Jack Vegas

Dumb "story" full of speculation and not much substance.

According to PFT, the Saints supposedly didn't have any cap room this year, they ended up signing Lewis/Watson/Butler/Coleman/S. Wallace. PFT said the same thing in 2012, right before they signed Grubbs/Bunkley/Hawthorne/Lofton. They did it again in 2011, the Saints signed Rogers/Franklin/Kreutz/Sproles.

You'll have to forgive me for not taking PFT seriously when it comes to salary cap talk. Florio was sort of in our corner with the bounty stuff, but now he's back to his same old s***-disturbing nonsense.

jeanpierre

Now it's time for Brees to step forward and say the extra couple of million for a Tom Condon contract is not as important as winning the Championship as a team.

So is Drew going to be a team player or neaux?

Tom Brady did a redux on his contract for the team?

Winning multiple Lombardi Trophies will yield a lifetime of revenue that a short-sighted contract will not do...

N'est-ce pas?

papz

I'm not even the least bit concerned of how we're going to find money to get Graham's deal done.

He's not going anywhere period.

TheOak

Brady vs Brees in regards to contracts is apples to oranges.

NuNu318

Loomis will find the money to sign him not worried in the lease. Graham is a key piece to this offense and SP no Brees will not be willing to let him go.

I also think Brees will restructure his deal next offseason...seems like most high paid players do that in the 3rd yr of long term contracts any way.

TheOak

These columnists like Florio make mountains out of flat ground. Jimmy's rookie contract is not finished, there is no need to even start talking about a new contract until it is with in 90 days of expiration.

Jimmy Graham had 1 season where he broke 1000 yards and one season in the top 20 receivers. Thus far he has proven to be a very good TE, but that's all.

No... reason... what... so ... ever... to give an early contract.

Has there been cap room to give Jimmy a new contract? No
Has Jimmy asked for one? No

But the biggest and most important reason the Saints rarely do early contracts is ... well.. See Gronkowski this season. Its a very bad business move. Gronk in the last 12 months has had what.. 3 forearm surgerys and is about to or just had a back surgery... he has a shiny new 8 year $55M contract and the pats do not know if he will even play this season.

Rugby Saint II

Loomis likes to watch the fans sweat it out until the last minute.

homerj07

All said. I would like to see the resign him before the season starts. Lock him up & get rid of the speculation & stupid pet tricks that the media loves so much

TheOak

His contract still has a full year left on it.. Why fool with it a year early?



With zero animosity between the FO and Jimmy/ His agent right now do you want to start the contract negotiations and have it possibly cause issues during the 2013 season? Distractions? The FO has no idea yet what it can afford to pay Jimmy.


I just don't get the need to force an issue.