NFL strident about Graham grievance
 

Here’s a shock. The NFL feels very strongly about its position in the Jimmy Graham grievance.

When it comes to legal matters, the league rarely lacks in confidence. And for good reason; the league rarely loses.

That said, the NFL easily could lose the Graham case. But the unnamed league source that spoke to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com doesn’t sound concerned about defeat in a fight that has more than $5 million hanging in the balance.

“The union’s position is a naked cash grab,” the unnamed league source told Triplett. “It ignores Mr. Graham’s use as a traditional tight end on roughly 60 percent of the snaps where he lined up within four yards of the tackle. It also ignores the historical use of the tight end position.

“Since the days of Mike Ditka, coaches have split the tight end wide to gain information about the defensive set and gain a matchup advantage. According to the union’s position, last year’s All-Pro tight end was not a tight end and Mike Ditka was a wide receiver.”

The union’s position flows from the letter of the labor deal negotiated and signed by the two parties. The language is clear. A franchise player will be designated based on the position at which he participated in the most plays during the prior league year.

While we’ve yet (and don’t plan) to study game film from the 1960s to see how many times Mike Ditka lined up tight to the end of the line (ergo, “tight end”) or in the slot or split wide, the issue isn’t nearly as clear as the league believes. If the system arbitrator, subject to appeal to a three-person panel, finds after next week’s hearing that the snaps taken by Graham in the slot constitute plays in which he participated as a receiver, Graham wins. If the system arbitrator, subject to appeal, finds that the tight end position includes snaps in the slot, Graham loses.

It’s hardly as cut-and-dried as Triplett’s unnamed source suggests. And to the extent it’s a “naked cash grab,” so be it. The NFL routinely makes “naked cash grabs,” like when it dictates terms for the potential Super Bowl host cities. Moreover, the folks who own NFL teams didn’t get to that point without making a few naked and/or fully-clothed and/or scantily-clad cash grabs.

At best, the NFL allowed an ambiguity to creep into the labor deal on this point. At worst, the NFL created the same kind of loophole that results in centers and guards being paid franchise-player wages at the same level of the league’s elite left tackles because the league inexplicably agreed to lump offensive lineman into one category.

The league may still win this. But the chances of losing are far greater than Triplett’s source will concede.

If the league’s position were so clear, the Packers would have pushed the issue two years ago with Jermichael Finley. Likewise, the Titans wouldn’t have blinked in 2013 with Jared Cook. In both cases, the NFL’s Management Council wouldn’t and couldn’t give the kind of guarantee that Triplett’s source is selling.

Which means that Triplett’s source may not really be quite so confident, and that the quotes are instead aimed at persuading the public to view Graham as greedy.

NFL strident about Graham grievance | ProFootballTalk

Re: NFL strident about Graham grievance
 

I heard on the radio yesterday someone saying that Strief should have claimed to be a TE for the all of the "number 64 has been declared as an eligible receiver..." games. Ha!

Re: NFL strident about Graham grievance
 

Look out for edited video of DeMaruice Smith smoking crack with Saints players to surface...

Re: NFL strident about Graham grievance
 

What is the final date for the B.S. to end so I can mark it on my calendar?I'm over it as all of you are. He is a fan favorite but this is making the milk sour as hell if you get my drift.

On the bus or off Jimbo, you deserve a raise no doubt, but this is like the Lebron James "Decision." Drawn out, and unnecessary.

Re: NFL strident about Graham grievance
 

I don't consider Graham greedy. I think his agent and the union are using this opportunity to make a point and set up bigger contracts down the line for other guys who get used in multiple spots.

Jimmy is just caught up a power struggle.

Re: NFL strident about Graham grievance
 

Exactly. The PA wins this and the franchise tag as we know it changes forever.
All of the lower paid position players will appeal based on number of snaps.
Of course it could go the other way also, and actually hurt some players

Re: NFL strident about Graham grievance
 

July 15th. That's the drop dead date for a new long term contract. After that if a deal is not done, then JG can only play under the franchise tender.
Three points:

1. This isn't a personal Jimmy Graham thing. Nor is it a Saints thing. It's bigger than that. This the the NFL going up against the players association. In fact this is the 3rd or 4th time this issue has come up with different players, including Jermichael Finley and Terrell Suggs. It's just the case that it is never gotten to a hearing before.

2. It was always going to be drawn out. It's always drawn out. It was drawn out two years ago with Brees. Honestly there's really no good reason to negotiate until the deadline. It's the deadline that forces both sides to make decisions about what they will and will not live with. If the deal gets done early, you can pretty much guarantee that someone in the deal got screwed. A deal at the deadline typically is more balanced because if the deadline passes, then both sides lose.

3. This is not personal. JG isn't sitting on an evil throne personally directing his minions to reign destruction on the Saints, their fans, and the NFL. In fact throughout the process he has been completely silent on the subject. Just because it's a process to be played out, doesn't mean that any side is approaching this with malicious intent. Would you take it personally if you were selling a car and someone offered 70% of your listed price?

3. BONUS POINT. It's the media's job to blow stuff like this out of proportion. So there's going to be a blog post, a tweet, a news story about it every day until it gets done. Of course it gets old.

Anyway just ignore it until after the 4th of July. Then and only then will the discussion get interesting.

SFIAH