TheOak

Mike Triplett

I agree with the New Orleans Saints: Jimmy Graham is a tight end.

And I agree with Graham's camp: He should be paid like a top wide receiver.

One of the more fascinating contract debates in recent NFL history was officially set in motion Friday when the Saints placed their franchise tag on Graham. His agent is expected to quickly counter with a grievance that claims Graham should be labeled as a wide receiver instead of a tight end, which would mean a projected franchise-tag salary of $12.3 million instead of $7.04 million.

[+] EnlargeJimmy Graham
Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesNew Orleans should avoid arbitration and pay Jimmy Graham at least $10 million a season.
The winner of that debate will also earn a massive amount of leverage in long-term contract negotiations. So Saints general manager Mickey Loomis and agent Jimmy Sexton will have to be willing to play an expensive game of chicken if they leave that decision in the hands of a neutral, third-party arbitrator, whose ruling will be tough to predict.

As far as I know, I'm not eligible for the arbitrator job. But I'll go ahead and offer my two cents on the multimillion-dollar topics of the day:

1. I believe Graham is a tight end. True, he lined up for 67 percent of his snaps in the slot or out wide last year. But that's part of a tight end's job description -- especially in the modern NFL.

That was the same ratio last year as future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez (whose salary is used to help calculate the franchise-tag figure for tight ends, by the way). And many of the NFL's top tight ends today spend at least 45 percent of their snaps in those traditional receiver positions.

The collective bargaining agreement states that the franchise-tag designation is based on the position "at which the Franchise Player participated in the most plays during the prior League Year." But how do you define when a player is lining up at tight end? To me, it's a combination job -- sometimes lining up as a blocker, sometimes as a receiver. Wide receivers, on the other hand, spend close to 100 percent of their snaps out wide or in the slot.

2. As long as I've anointed myself as the arbitrator, I'll also declare that the two sides should scrap the franchise-tag debate and agree on a long-term deal worth at least $10 million per year.

If it weren't for the franchise tag, the debate over what position Graham plays wouldn't matter a lick. Call him whatever you want -- a tight end, a receiver, a hybrid, a matchup nightmare. If he were free to go to the highest bidder, his unique skill set would probably fetch something in the area of $12 million per year.

That would put Graham in the ballpark of receivers such as Percy Harvin, Mike Wallace, Dwayne Bowe, Brandon Marshall and Vincent Jackson. It sure seems like he fits in that group to me.

Unfortunately for Graham, though, the franchise tag prevents him from hitting the open market. The Saints can actually use the tag on Graham for up to three years (which would require raises of 20 percent and 44 percent in 2015 and 2016, respectively).

But even with that leverage, the Saints should recognize that Graham has earned at least $10 million per year. That would make him the highest-paid tight end in NFL history, surpassing the $9 million average of Rob Gronkowski's 2012 extension with the New England Patriots.

All you have to do is look at Graham's numbers to see that he's worth it. His 36 touchdown receptions over the past three years are the most in the NFL, regardless of position. And he has averaged 90 catches and 1,169 yards per year during that span.

Yes, Graham was kept quiet during the playoffs this past season, with a total of four catches for 52 yards against Philadelphia and Seattle. But both opponents clearly made Graham their No. 1 priority, with safeties such as All-Pro Earl Thomas spying on him. And that has value, too, as the Saints proved by running for 185 yards while the Eagles sat back in coverage.

Even more than his value on the field, Graham has also been a model player for the franchise. He has repeatedly played through injuries -- some significant, including a wrist injury in 2012 and a partially torn plantar fascia in 2013. And he never publicly complained or threatened to hold out while playing out his rookie contract as one of the best bargains in the league over the past four years.

I expect the contract talks to drag on for a while because they are so groundbreaking. It's reminiscent of two years ago, when the Saints and quarterback Drew Brees waited until July to make Brees the highest-paid player in the NFL at the time.

The only thing that could speed this process along is that fear of turning over that crucial decision to a third-party arbitrator. That's probably why similar debates -- tight ends Jared Cook and Jermichael Finley the past two years and linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs in 2008 -- never reached the point of an arbitrator's decision.

No matter how long it takes, though, I ultimately expect the two sides to reach a long-term deal. I expect Graham to stay in New Orleans -- and to keep revolutionizing the tight end position -- for years to come.

Jimmy Graham and the New Orleans Saints are both right - ESPN

blackangold

Trips writing has taken a dump since he went to ESPN. No backbone in this article and it lacks any deep insight.

Trip is getting on the Pat Y levels.... sad really

rezburna

Eugene Monroe would be a great RT. Alterraun Verner, Brandon Browner, Vontae Davis...one of them would be so great at corner here. Jairus Byrd or TJ Mack at safety? Yes please. Alex Mack replaces DLP at center? Beautiful! We steal Orakpo from Washington, Demarcus Ware from Dallas, or Dion Jordan from Miami to rush the passer? Its Christmas.

Too bad all of our cap will be going to Graham and Brees.

TheOak

Your cap is going to the two people that put the most points on the baord, which just so happens to be an item needed to win.

Saints total TDs 39, Jimmy graham touched the ball on nearly 1/2 of them and Drew touched the ball on all of them.

DLP touched the ball on all of them but I am giving him credit for the losses.

ProMallNinja

That's a nice fantasy, Rez, but we couldn't afford all of that even if we let Graham go. Also, Browner's off-field shenanigans don't really fit us, and we already have a Orakpo/Ware-type in Junior Galette, imo. Dion Jordan would be interesting because of his freakish athleticism, but Miami is saying he's off limits.... I'd love to see DLP get replaced though...

Mr.Riaton

The argument that Graham should be paid like a WR is a pathetic ploy to get him top dollar. If he was a WR and lined up as a TE for the majority of the snaps, you sure wouldn't hear any b**ching from his agent about how he should receive TE pay. I am 100% against paying him 12 mil/yr.

TheOak

My question is what is the slot?

Is the slot a WR line up, is it a TE line up, or is it both and doesn't add or take away from Jimmy's status.

What does Slot - football Mean?
What is Slot Receiver Y Receiver? Definition from SportingCharts.com
What is Slot? Definition from SportingCharts.com
The area in an offensive formation between the offensive line and the player closest to the sideline. This area is usually occupied by a wide receiver, running back, or tight end. The slot is often used to create formations that have multiple receivers on the same side of the field. Slot receivers are often smaller and quicker than the receivers who line up on the outside.

Slot receiver (Y or SL): A less-formal name given to receivers in addition to split ends and flankers (for example, tight-ends who line up wide). These receivers line up between the split end/flanker and the linemen. If aligned with a flanker, the slot receiver is usually on the line of scrimmage, and if with a split end, off the line of scrimmage. As with the flanker position, a featured receiver often takes a slot position with a split end to avoid jamming.[6]

So as far as defining "Slot Reciever", it seems that is not a WR position but a position where the WR or TE lines up in the slot as a Split End or Slot Receiver..

As an arbitrator I would have to decide with the definition of "Slot Reciever" and Jimmy is a Tight End that plays a lot in the slot... In no way does that make him a "Wide Receiver".

7M tag... Next!

TheOak

Further thinking on this because Jimmy's agent appealed my decision and TheOak Deaux is hearing the appeal.

In the strict language of the CBA:

"Agreement for which such player is anticipated to be an Unrestricted Free Agent. For any such players, the Club shall be deemed on the first day of the first future League Year in which the designation takes effect to have automatically tendered the player a one year NFL Player Contract for (A) the applicable Cap Percentage Average of the five largest Prior Year Salaries for players at the position (within the categories set forth in Section 7(a) above at which he participated in the most plays during the prior League Year)"

I just so happen to have a copy of Section 7a here:
Section 7. Salary Information:
(a) No later than February 1 of each League Year during the term of this Agreement, the NFL shall compile and disclose to the NFLP A a list of each of the five and ten largest Prior Year Salaries for players at the following positions which shall be utilized for calculating the average Prior Year Salaries of players at the positions of Franchise Players and Transition Players: Quarterback, Running Back, Wide Receiver, Tight End, Offensive Line, Defensive End, Interior Defensive Line, Linebacker, Cornerback, Safety, and Kicker/Punter.

There is no official position in the NFL titled "Slot Receiver". "Slot Receiver" is a duty that is preformed by multiple positions.

7m... Next!

WW_Who_Dat

Here come Judge ... I like it a lot.