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2020 NFL Draft: Saints Prospects

this is a discussion within the Saints Community Forum; Originally Posted by K Major There could be but you just never know … I didn't believe the Saints would trade Jimmy Graham either. They didn't want to, but that was the only way they could get the deal done. ...

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Old 02-17-2020, 04:33 PM   #1
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Re: 2020 NFL Draft: Saints Prospects

Originally Posted by K Major View Post
There could be but you just never know …

I didn't believe the Saints would trade Jimmy Graham either.
They didn't want to, but that was the only way they could get the deal done. They wanted to trade Kenny Stills instead if I remember correctly, but the Seahawks insisted upon Graham.
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Old 02-18-2020, 07:06 PM   #2
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Re: 2020 NFL Draft: Saints Prospects

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido View Post
They didn't want to, but that was the only way they could get the deal done. They wanted to trade Kenny Stills instead if I remember correctly, but the Seahawks insisted upon Graham.
Both were traded. Saints didn't want to commit that much cap space to TE, Graham had lobbied successfully that he was also a WR if I remember correctly...

Remember hearing whispers that the Saints were most unhappy with Jimmy airing things out on social media, and likely agent leaks to the media...
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Old 02-19-2020, 07:01 AM   #3
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Re: 2020 NFL Draft: Saints Prospects

Originally Posted by jeanpierre View Post
Both were traded. Saints didn't want to commit that much cap space to TE, Graham had lobbied successfully that he was also a WR if I remember correctly...

Remember hearing whispers that the Saints were most unhappy with Jimmy airing things out on social media, and likely agent leaks to the media...
Yes, Stills was eventually traded, but he was part of the offer to pick up Unger. It was the Seahawks who countered with including Graham instead. I can't remember the exact source, but I remember reading or hearing about that exchange. It may have been John Clayton who practically lives in the Seattle camp.

As for the Graham as WR affair, that was orchestrated by the NFLPA to challenge the designations within the Franchise Tag. It was their lawyers fighting the fight. The PA knew the definition of player positions was getting muddied. The line between an outside LB and a DE is disappearing with teams using different packages on a play by play basis, yet the tag level differs by $2M. TE's are leading teams in receptions, etc, at $5M per year less than WR's on the tag. The PA lost that appeal and his tag was designated as a TE. The Saints and Graham worked out a new deal shortly thereafter.

“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill
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Old 02-20-2020, 09:36 AM   #4
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Re: 2020 NFL Draft: Saints Prospects

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido View Post
Yes, Stills was eventually traded, but he was part of the offer to pick up Unger. It was the Seahawks who countered with including Graham instead. I can't remember the exact source, but I remember reading or hearing about that exchange. It may have been John Clayton who practically lives in the Seattle camp.

As for the Graham as WR affair, that was orchestrated by the NFLPA to challenge the designations within the Franchise Tag. It was their lawyers fighting the fight. The PA knew the definition of player positions was getting muddied. The line between an outside LB and a DE is disappearing with teams using different packages on a play by play basis, yet the tag level differs by $2M. TE's are leading teams in receptions, etc, at $5M per year less than WR's on the tag. The PA lost that appeal and his tag was designated as a TE. The Saints and Graham worked out a new deal shortly thereafter.
May be wrong but I seem to remember you RT/reporting that angle off the CBS Sirius show; maybe Pat Kirwin? Fuzzy...

And I remember "factchecking" that take as well and it was also a valid option that was out there...

But things that were most assuredly true...

The Saints wanted to be rid of Kenny Stills and his drama...

That Saints salary cap plan was to allow to pay Graham as an elite Tight End, not an elite Wide Receiver...

The Saints wanted an elite Center that Seattle had...

Jimmy Graham took to social media airing his frustrations with the Saints which is a non-starter with the Payton Front Office; Graham eventually apologized for his behaviour...

Saints won terrifically on the Unger vs Graham component of the trade...

Saints eventually lost on the draft pick exchange as they took Stephone Anthony in Round One; Seattle used the fourth round pick in trade package with the Redskins to select WR Tyler Lockett in the third round...

Disclosure: I accurately advocated Stephone; Anthony was named to PFWA All-Rookie Team; Anthony scored the first Defensive 2Pt Conversion in NFL History; he busted following year when Dennis Allen became DC...

It's not that my way is the right way, I just make the right way my way...

Last edited by jeanpierre; 02-20-2020 at 09:55 AM..
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Old 02-20-2020, 11:18 AM   #5
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Re: 2020 NFL Draft: Saints Prospects

Originally Posted by jeanpierre View Post
May be wrong but I seem to remember you RT/reporting that angle off the CBS Sirius show; maybe Pat Kirwin? Fuzzy...

And I remember "factchecking" that take as well and it was also a valid option that was out there...

But things that were most assuredly true...

The Saints wanted to be rid of Kenny Stills and his drama...

That Saints salary cap plan was to allow to pay Graham as an elite Tight End, not an elite Wide Receiver...

The Saints wanted an elite Center that Seattle had...

Jimmy Graham took to social media airing his frustrations with the Saints which is a non-starter with the Payton Front Office; Graham eventually apologized for his behaviour...

Saints won terrifically on the Unger vs Graham component of the trade...

Saints eventually lost on the draft pick exchange as they took Stephone Anthony in Round One; Seattle used the fourth round pick in trade package with the Redskins to select WR Tyler Lockett in the third round...

Disclosure: I accurately advocated Stephone; Anthony was named to PFWA All-Rookie Team; Anthony scored the first Defensive 2Pt Conversion in NFL History; he busted following year when Dennis Allen became DC...
It may very well have been Pat Kirwan. Kirwan is close friends with Pete Carroll having coached with him in the past. John Clayton has co-hosted with Kirwan on several occasions so that would make sense as the source. The two of them have more insight into the workings of the Seahawks than anyone. Trade scenarios are a specialty of Kirwan's, as well, given his time as director of player administration with the Jets where he negotiated contracts and managed the cap. He is a real fountain of NFL knowledge.
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