he has not put up the numbers to be the #1 paid TE in the NFL. top 5 sure but not #1.

Gronk is a better blocker and more versatile than Jimmy. heck we have WR that are better blockers than Jimmy. Sorry Jimmy game is to one denominational to get that #1 rating.face it when Jimmy is on the field other players must pick up and cover for his short comings. that is an extra roster spot used right there. His game still needs a lot of work.

he is still learning and does not have a ton experience. remember he did not start playing football till his senior year. he has a ways to go

Talk about highest paid next time around

same contract giving yearly rate of about 9 million but 3 yrs.

let him make more with performance insensitive in the contract

with no option

I'm respectfully going to have to call BS on that. There simply isn't any number that applies to the TE position in the last 3 years that JG isn't #1 in.


None of those are numbers. As for Gronk, the most important number is that JG has played in 31 of the 32 last regular season games (and all the plyaoff games) while Gronk has only played in 18 of the last 32 games.

plus he has to have mismatches to succeed. Gronk can do a better job against any CB than Jimmy. Jimmy still does not have the positioning battle down just yet.

And he would kick it right back across the table, just as any reasonable person would. There are teams that will pay him $12 million right now if he were truly a free agent.

He's a 4 year veteran All-Pro NFL tight end. What happened in college is irrelevant. He's had the best 3 year run of a tight end in NFL history.

Honestly I'm so glad that Loomis is handling this. He, unlike many of the posters I've seen over the last few months, actually understands the value of his asset.

SFIAH

Pardon me, but I have to say that you, unlike many of the rest of us, do not understand the value of being an all around player. You only grasp the receiving statistics. If you think blocking doesn't matter because it isn't a stat, then you must think Loomis is an idiot for paying guys like Evans and Grubbs big money. But you already said he's smarter than the rest of us. So what do you ACTUALLY believe?

Blocking is a big part of a tight end's job, whether you think it should be or not. You also don't take into account all of the drops. The Saints, in my opinion, try too hard to MAKE him a superstar by targeting him a million times every game. Jimmy has great skills, there's no denying that, but when the ball comes your way that much you're going to put up some numbers. What separates the good from the great is the ability to take advantage of every opportunity you have. But he drops a lot of passes.

This isn't to say he isn't an elite talent, or that we're better off without him. The question is whether he should be the highest paid tight end in league history and, as of now, I don't think he deserves that title. He'll undoubtedly get it though, because contracts have very little to do with player value anymore. It's all about guys wanting the distinction of highest paid ever, and agents' unwillingness to budge on anything less.

Just ask Joe freaking Flacco.

First of all, let's address your first major misconception. For some reason you identify Graham with drops. Let's looks at a few facts.

In 2013 Graham was targeted 143 times and was credited with THREE drops (2.1%). That was the most targets in the entire NFL with a drop percentage as low as 2.1% or lower. The next closest was Alshon Jeffery at 3.4%. Others with far worse drop percentages included AJ Green, Julio Jones, Anquan Boldin, Vernon Davis, Josh Gordon, Calvin Johnson, Roddy White, Eric Decker, Demaryius Thomas, Reggie Wayne, Stevie Johnson, Miles Austin, etc!!!!

That my friend is a fact!

Now on to blocking. Graham is not recognized by experts as a bad blocker. He is simply not called upon in Payton's offensive scheme to be a blocker. You speak of being a "well rounder TE". A well rounded TE is one that does not excel at anything, but can perform well at all disciplines. I have used this example before ... Deion Sanders. Sander is widely recognized as the best cornerback in NFL history and he could not tackle worth a crap. Under your understanding of "value" a "well rounded" CB would be worth more than Sanders any day.

Oh, and the last time I looked, Grubbs and Evans are offensive guards whose sole duty is blocking.

You, sir, have shown me nothing that supports your view that Graham should not be the highest paid TE in the league when the rest of the civilized world feels he should.

I'm sorry, but your credibility level is currently in the red and sinking lower each and every time you hit "Submit Reply".

Agree Graham has work to do but the fact that he's played the position this well in a short time time is staggering. (yes, having Brees helps). What does bother me is that he's not a better blocker at 6'7" and 265lbs...

The "guaranteed" money should play the biggest role in his new contract.

I could see appx $9.3m average over 5 years with $18-20m guaranteed.