Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

Also known as stating the obvious!

The Saints don’t want to lose Jimmy Graham in free agency and will almost certainly do whatever it takes to keep him. Which means they won’t be able to keep some of their other key players.

Saints coach Sean Payton said as much in an interview on FOX Sports 1, saying that the Saints will work very hard at getting a deal done with Graham even as they know that with the NFL’s salary cap, every dollar they commit to Graham is a dollar they can’t spend elsewhere.

“With that being said, the first thing that comes to my mind with free agency is your own roster,” Payton said, via the Times-Picayune. “I think often times that gets overlooked. The most challenging part of your job as a coach, and I share that with [G.M. Mickey Loomis] or anyone that has been with an organization as long as we have been, going on year nine, is some of the tough decisions that have to be made with regards to your cap with the ability that you possibly can sign Jimmy Graham.”

The first issue the Saints have to deal with is whether Graham will be considered a tight end or a wide receiver for purposes of the franchise tag. The Saints will want to have the ability to tag him for a $6.8 million tender offer, which is the tight end amount, while Graham will want to be tendered at $11.6 million, the wide receiver amount.

Even if the Saints are able to tag Graham as a tight end, they don’t have much cap space in the first place, and there may not be room under the cap for other soon-to-be free agents including safety Malcolm Jenkins, tackle Zach Strief and center Brian de la Puente. Players who may need to be cut in order for the Saints to get under the cap include linebacker Will Smith, safety Roman Harper, receiver Lance Moore, defensive tackle Broderick Bunkley, cornerback Jabari Greer and running back Pierre Thomas.

Those are all tough decisions. Keeping Graham, on the other hand, won’t be a tough decision. Just an expensive one.

Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions” | ProFootballTalk

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

Starting to sound like Grambeaux won't be resigned...

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

"tough decisions?' LOL, I don't think so.

Smith and Harper were as good as gone the second they signed restructured deals pushing their big cap hits back to 2014. - I don't believe for a second Loomis did not know exactly what he was doing there. He knew those guys' days were numbered. Harper has already been replaced by Vaccaro and Smith, well we all see how we did without him.

Greer and Thomas? Replacements already found. Everybody seems to love Khiry and White showed a ton of ability. If we have to cut either or both of these guys it will be no big deal, and I hate to say it because they are both favorites of mine (especially PT, I even have his jersey) but that's reality.

Moore? Really? We're worried about losing Lance Moore? Come on. the guy barely played last year, when he did he wasn't that good, and his showboating ways are no reflection of his production. And Sproles is alreayd being restructured as we speak.

Restructuring Brees or Grubbs would just be icing on the cake at this point. You cut the players above and there's plenty of room to sign Graham, Strief, and whatever other players you want from the current roster, make a couple decent outside FA signings and still sign your rookies.

Sounds like a cut throat way of doing business and I do like every single one of those players (except for Will Smith who is a slow, fat bum IMO) but that is the way it works for every team in the NFL now.

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

I get what your saying, but I have always felt the Saints keep players way to long( Smith, Vilma, Ellis) Smith and Vilma are 3 years past due in my opinion although I was hoping Smith would he our Harrelson this year at OLB setting the edge but my mistake. With that said thats 3 years waisted with carrying players which in 3 years could have upgraded and their replacements should be set at those positions. I think Harper needs a pay cut but will provide excellent depth at SS although I don't feel Bush is the answer at FS he should stay, again excellent depth, draft a ball hawk FS and those positions are set.Moore I agree 100%. The FO is in a great position with Graham either Tag him and let other teams give up draft picks for him or he plays here under that same tag, signing him to a top TE contract is not a smart move by the Saints, he could be replaced if need be.

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

Starting to make you wonder if he is worth all this. Losing Smith, Moore and BB is not that big of a deal but Losing Harper and Greer could really hurt the D-backfield. If they workout a contract it would cost some where along the lines of 8 to 10 mil a year. We have 2 backups that could step in and play well (not JG well) and still have money to sign a OT and C. He could be Franchised and traded. Possibly getting a rd 1 and 2 this year with another top pick next.
I would love to keep him but if you told me we would be able to receive 3 draft picks and keep some starting players I would go with that.

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

I agree. Smith and Harper's fate were decided long ago as well as Vilma. Jenkins won't be missed much either and I think we can find/draft better, younger, cheaper version anyway. While I disagree that White was ready to take over for Greer before the injury happened I don't think Greer will ever be the player he once was and White is an upgrade in that regard. I think we should keep Pierre because he opens up the playbook a little more with the screen. Its been said numerous times that the coaches are high on Robinson so he is a shoe in. Even though Ingram looked good in the playoffs I am still not sold on him. Would like to see him go. As for Moore it pains me to say it but his days are done too.

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

Money gets in the way of Championship football, no doubt.

Our offense if about to fall apart, IMO.

Alaska

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

As the post say's these are rough decisions, but we have some of the best guys making them. In the end Jimmy Graham has to remain a Saint.

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

On a personal level i can understand how some of the decisions would be tough considering how long some players have been around here.

On a business level, there isn't much difficulty to many of the decisions.

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

My thoughts exactly.:chug:

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

You lost me on both...

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

I get so emotional this time of year.......

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

I get so emotional when Im on my man period.
:eek:

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

Tough decisions? If my memory serves me, Loomis has said on numerous occasions the Saints expect a 20-25% roster turnover YOY. That is 10-13 players.

IMHO, the beginning of the "tough decisions";

Smith
Vilma
Greer
Harper
Thomas
Moore
Herring
Strief
Brown
McCown
Coleman

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

Greer will stay with a pay cut. He is getting old and wants that ring. Brown may resign for league avg and move to the right side. Herring will resign for league min. The rest are pretty much gone. I would love to see Moore and PT stay but they are not worth their pay.

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

If we have learned anything over the last few years it's that the cap situation is never really a big issue when it comes to fielding a good team.

I like Greer, Moore, PT and anybody else that is likely to leave or get cut but it is not likely that losing those players in favor of younger/cheaper replacements is going to cripple the team. The Steelers, Patriots and other well-run teams have done it for years and years and are still always contenders. And we draft as well as anybody else in the league.

Since the Super Bowl, we have moved on from/lost:

Shockey
Fujita
Bush
Nicks
Stinchcomb
Goodwin
Bushrod
Henderson
Sharper
Porter
Ellis
Hargrove
C. Grant

and we have essentially moved on from Vilma and Will Smith as well. And I'm missing some more I am sure. That's a lot of key players and still we've had double-digit wins and been to the playoffs 3 out of the last 4 years.

Whatever happens we will be fine. What's the worst thing that could happen? We lose Graham? If I recall we won a Super Bowl with some very average tight ends and a WR group that was not significantly better than what we have now.

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

i do not think it will be a hard as people are thinking. no way does he get top dollar in the TE market. he does not deserve it just yet. so tag him. he deserves that kind of cash.

he is only a couple of Mickey Lommis creative contracts away from being a done deal. tagged and done. next issue

any players lost will need to be replaced via the draft. that the real issue and the saints will need to draft extremely well this year

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

I also think that we as fans have to accept there's a ton of stuff we don't understand about the workings of the salary cap and the loopholes that are exploited by every team. The last few years we kept just about everybody of significance and signed high-level free agents like Grubbs, Lofton, Hawthorne, K. Lewis when everybody thought we didn't even have enough money to sign the rookie draft class. So I say we just sit back and watch Loomis do his thing.

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

The Chicken Littles of the forum keep life hilarious though. I MEAN COME ON, THE WINDOW HAS CLOSED!

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...by-the-saints/

Buckle up... We're about to get started!

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

What's so hard about cutting Vilma, Smith, Harper and Jenkins .... none have done a thing since 2009

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

First four. Check. Not being cavalier as these four B&G stalwarts contributed greatly in the past, it is just Father Time has caught up. As has been said on numerous occasions...this is a business.

What I find unsettling is if you listen to Greer he was completely surprised by his release. One would think Loomis would have provided the courtesy of a one hour notice.

Also, Smith, Greer, and Harper contracts were terminated or cut. Vilma will not be resigned not cut.

Next up.

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

The list is getting shorter. Add Sproles.

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

Random post here , I've got a few friends at Oregon. Word around campus is Deanthony ran a slow 40 intentionally knowing itd drop his draft stock , increasing his chances of going to a winning team. Hmm

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

If true i hope we go nowhere near him

Wrong attitude

Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

That's the same attitude that gives up games for higher draft order.

It also very much puts him in contrast to the elite NFL players in terms of mindset. Elite players in their prime hope to go to a team that they can make winners, they don't hope to go to a winning team so they can reap the benefits of others making then winners.

Re: Payton: Keeping Jimmy Graham will require “tough decisions
 

Keep Jenkins and Strief at lower salaries. Jenkins would make a good nickel or backup safety, he's big. Strief gives us depth on the line