WhoDat!656

If the grievance hearing falls in Graham’s favor the Saints will face roster decisions and contract renegotiations. But even if Graham loses, his franchise tag is non-exclusive, meaning any team can tender an offer sheet. The Saints meager cap space leaves them vulnerable to a serious offer.

Five Reasons Someone Will Steal Jimmy Graham from the Saints

Seer1

The only way he goes is if Loomis lets him go. There'll be no thievery. I bet the top guys are dying to Cooks over to the Big Easy to see if he and the rest of the receiving corp can thrive without Graham. I'm thinkin' they can.

dizzle88

Would hate to see him go but with the way he's acted about this whole situation if he did go I'd love to see him go to jacksonville or oakland, plus get two first round picks for him aswell

SAINTstunna

I'm sick of this JG thing . . He needs to realize his numbers are as much to credit to Drew Brees as to himself . . . Let him test the waters with another team and experience a mediocre QB and life without playoff hopes . . He will indeed have plenty of money to spend in his long off season, but if he wants to go down is history with the biggest name in tight ends he need to shut the F#@$ up and play ball with the WHO DATT nation !!! !! lets get it baby . . . TWO DATT! !!

Mardigras9

Amen brother, hard not to catch the ball when it's hitting you in the helmet most of the time.

SaintFanInATLHELL

Sigh.

Someone on YardBarker posts an opinion piece and everyone takes it as gospel.

Sigh.

Fans take personal affront to a bog standard business negotiation. Many seem to miss the point that while players may or may not be fanatics about the team and the sport, at the end of the day it's their job and their career. Like all of us, when you get an opportunity to maximize your value in the marketplace, you take it.

Sigh.

It's funny how Graham really isn't a very good tight end (blocking first, receiving second), yet everyone is ticked off at the tactic of not classifying him as a tight end.

Sigh.

Does anyone really believe that any GM is going to be as stupid as Jerry Jones, who is unique because he is also the owner, as to give up TWO FIRST ROUND PICKS and a $60+ million contract for anyone.

Sigh.

If someone was going to make an offer, then the time to make it is before the hearing when JG's value is finally established.

Sigh.

This is an issue between the league, who classified JG as a TE, and the players association, who is disputing the claim.

Sigh.

I'm getting pretty tired of repeating the simple fact that if the Saints didn't want JG, then they would have traded him when they had the opportunity. Or let him go into free agency. They didn't. By franchising their prized player, they both guaranteed that he will play for the Saints next year (and even possibly the year after that), and that JG is going to get paid.

Sigh.

I am sick of this bashing on arguably the best player on the squad. Nothing has changed. JG wants to be here. The Saints want him here. Loomis has almost always let the market set the value for a player, then come up with a contract that's near market price.

Sigh.

Our friend at YB doesn't understand how the salary cap works. The $7 million cap number for JG is already on the books. Any long term contract with up front money will likely have a cap number below that because the signing bonus is spread over the life of the contract. JG wants long term security. So he's not going to sign a contract where a team can cut him after two years.

Sigh.

I know it's June. And I know that it's slow. But absolutely nothing has changed from the timeline I posted in February. A long term deal will be done in July. And this fiasco, enflamed by fan frustration, will finally be put away.

Sigh.

SFIAH

Super Bowl Championships: New Orleans Saints:1, Carolina:0, Atlanta Chokers: STILL ZERO

Only Atlanta choked in an unchokable situation... Life is definitely good.

WhoDat!656

Graham needs to talk to Meachem

Utah_Saint

What did he say?

SaintFanInATLHELL

Can you explain his actions? Like Vernon Davis, who didn't show for OTA's in protest while still under contract? Or like Josh Gordon, who cannot keep out of trouble?

The NFL is a $9 billion/year market place where even hall of fame players are only going to get 3-4 contracts. It's just common sense to attempt to maximize your contract value when the opportunity comes.

I firmly disagree with most of the opinions here. I wouldn't want a player that doesn't believe in his abilities and fights for fair value for the opportunity to offer those services to a team. Someone who doesn't do that doesn't believe in themselves. That's not a player that I'd want on my squad.

Now should the Saints do everything in their power to manage the value of the contract? Of course. But to deem the "actions" of doing business as usual as worthy of ejection just seems to be a bit much to me.

Let me tell you the "action" that I saw that shows JG's commitment. Playing on an injured foot, specifically a partially torn plantar fascia, for much of last season and still playing at a high level.

SFIAH

Super Bowl Championships: New Orleans Saints:1, Carolina:0, Atlanta Chokers: STILL ZERO

Only Atlanta choked in an unchokable situation... Life is definitely good.

SaintFanInATLHELL

Nothing. He's said nothing. He has an agent that's doing his job, which is trying to maximize his client's value. He has a player's association that is attempting to redefine the position for franchise tag purposes. He hasn't signed his franchise tender, nor agreed to a long term contract with the team. Of course it's just common sense not to do so, since his value has not yet been established.

He didn't show up to voluntary OTAs. Note that he is currently a free agent and has no contractual obligation to participate in any Saints activities.

He has not touted his career numbers, which BTW are on a Hall of Fame pace. He has not spoken out about the team and how they are mistreating him. He's not spouting off on Twitter about how he needs to be paid.

He has said absolutely, positively nothing at all.

So I just gotta ask: Why U Mad Bro?

SFIAH

Super Bowl Championships: New Orleans Saints:1, Carolina:0, Atlanta Chokers: STILL ZERO

Only Atlanta choked in an unchokable situation... Life is definitely good.