Tight End Notes: Finley, Keller, Davis, Jags
The league’s most productive tight end became the league’s highest-paid tight end earlier today, with Jimmy Graham agreeing to terms on a four-year deal with the Saints. Although we’re still waiting on all the specifics, the contract reportedly has an average annual value of $10MM, which would be the highest per-year amount ever for the position.
While Graham’s contract saga appears to be over, there are a handful of other players looking to sign or restructure contracts of their own. Let’s round up the latest on a few tight ends around the NFL….
- Tom Pelissero of USA Today reported last night that Jermichael Finley would undergo a series of medical tests this week and would send those results to all 32 NFL teams in hopes of generating interest. Today, Pelissero passes along a series of quotes from the former Packer explaining why he wants to continue his playing career rather than trying to collect a $10MM insurance policy and retiring.
- Finley’s explanation: “It’s a pride issue now. I’ve got a lot of pride. I’ve been playing this game for free for 20 years when I was a kid, so it ain’t about the money. It ain’t about how much I can get and how much my agent can get and whatnot. It’s all about the love of the game. We all know the money’s going to come and it’s going to go. I just want to go out there and be able to showcase these skills that I’ve been working on for months now, since I got hurt in October.”
- Dustin Keller, who is coming off a serious knee injury, is still making progress in his recovery, according to Pelissero (via Twitter). Keller hopes to play this season, but isn’t in a rush to sign with a team.
- It’s safe to assume that Graham’s new annual value of $10MM becomes a target for Vernon Davis as he attempts to negotiate a new deal with the 49ers, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. In my opinion, it’s probably also safe to assume the Niners won’t pay him that much. Davis is currently in line for base salaries of just $4.7MM in 2014 and $4.35MM in 2015, though his cap hit is more sizable due to bonus money.
- A pair of tight ends who are eligible for extensions weighed in via Twitter on Graham’s new contract, with Jordan Cameron of the Browns and Julius Thomas of the Broncos passing along their congratulations. Presumably, both players will also have Graham’s deal in mind when they negotiate their own extensions.
- Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union examines the tight end situation for the Jaguars, who will need to figure out their third player at the position behind Marcedes Lewis and Clay Harbor.
Latest On Chris Kluwe, Vikings
11:07am: The Vikings have issued a statement denying Kluwe’s claim that the team is withholding the findings of the investigation. According to the statement, the team has engaged a law firm to evaluate the findings and make recommendations to the Vikings, and the club’s attorneys are scheduled to meet with Kluwe’s attorney this Thursday to discuss next steps.
“The Vikings will have further comment when the investigation is entirely complete and the team has made determinations on next steps,” the statement concludes.
At Kluwe’s press conference, meanwhile, it was announced that the punter plans to file suit against the Vikings for not releasing the report, as he had suggested to KFAN earlier today. Tom Pelissero of USA Today tweets that Kluwe will sue the Vikings for religious discrimination, sexual orientation discrimination, defamation, and tortuous interference. According to Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune (via Twitter), Kluwe says he’ll consider dropping that lawsuit if the team releases the report — indeed, according to Pelissero (via Twitter), the punter and his attorney are painting the suit as a means for getting the club to release the report.
9:45am: Based on what he has heard, Ben Goessling of ESPN.com would be skeptical about the idea that the Vikings are really refusing to release the report on the Kluwe investigation. Goessling suspects that the NFL may be working with the club to determine how to release the findings, and speculates that the Vikings may want to wait until after MLB’s All-Star Game, which is taking place in Minnesota tonight, to make an announcement (all Twitter links).
8:31am: Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report reported early this morning (via Twitter) that the independent investigation into Chris Kluwe‘s allegations about the Vikings organization was complete, with a press conference expected for today. However, according to Kluwe, that presser won’t be the kind he anticipated — the former Minnesota punter tweeted today that the Vikings have refused to provide a copy of the report to either Kluwe or the public.
Kluwe, 32, alleged in a January article on Deadspin.com that his release by the Vikings came as a result of his outspoken support of gay marriage. According to Kluwe, special teams coordinator Mike Priefer “openly and privately made homophobic comments and slurs intended to intimidate” the punter while he remained on the roster.
Following Kluwe’s allegations, the Vikings hired two “highly respected Minnesota legal figures to conduct an independent investigation.” While the team initially promised to provide the findings of that investigation to Kluwe and his attorney, the Vikings have now reneged on that promise, according to the punter.
We’ve yet to hear from the Vikings, and today’s press conference, which is scheduled for 11:00am central time, could provide more clarity. For now though, it’s not a good look for the club that it appears unwilling to release the report to Kluwe or the public. After all, if the investigation cleared the franchise and its coaches of any wrongdoing, it seems there’d be no reason not to announce that publicly.
Long-Term Deal Unlikely For Orakpo, Redskins
Today is 2014’s deadline for players who received the franchise tag to work out multiyear contracts with their respective clubs, and it appears unlikely that the Redskins and linebacker Brian Orakpo will reach an agreement, according to Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com. Orakpo will play the 2014 season on a one-year, $11.455MM deal if he doesn’t sign a longer-term pact by 3:00pm central time today.
Orakpo, who turns 28 later this month, was one of four players to be franchised back in March. Nick Folk and the Jets soon agreed to a multiyear extension, and Jimmy Graham and the Saints did so today. Unlike those players though, Orakpo and Greg Hardy accepted and signed their one-year franchise tenders several months ago, so it has seemed likely for some time that they’ll play on one-year deals in 2014.
Orakpo started 15 games for the Redskins last season, recording 60 tackles, 10 sacks, and returning an interception for a touchdown. The 27-year-old ranked fourth among 3-4 outside linebackers according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required), recording positive grades not only as a pass rusher, but also against the run and as a coverage man.
Washington drafted Trent Murphy with their first pick in this year’s draft and already have Ryan Kerrigan at the other outside linebacker spot — given their depth at the position, the Redskins may want to see further improvement from Orakpo this season before committing to him on a lucrative long-term contract. John Keim of ESPN.com notes that there was a difference in opinions within the organization about whether or not to franchise Orakpo this offseason, but Keim expects the team to find a way to keep the pass rusher if he has a big year in 2014.
NFC Notes: Lipford, Nwaneri, Tate, Packers
Former UNC linebacker Darius Lipford, who went undrafted in last week’s supplemental draft, will work out for the 49ers this week, tweets Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee. So far, four teams have expressed interest in bringing Lipford in for a visit since he has the most upside of the four players not selected in the supplemental draft, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter).
Let’s round up a few more items from across the NFC….
- Caplan also passes along contract details for new Cowboys offensive lineman Uche Nwaneri, who signed a minimum salary benefit contract which includes a $65K signing bonus (Twitter link).
- Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA Today examines the players who may hold out when training camps begin and discusses what teams may have to do to ensure those players are in the fold. The list of potential holdouts includes a handful of NFC West players — Vernon Davis and Alex Boone of the 49ers and Marshawn Lynch of the Seahawks.
- In an interview with ESPN’s First Take today, Lions wide receiver Golden Tate softened earlier comments and explained that his decision to leave the Seahawks was driven by more than money. “If you have an opportunity to earn way more money in another city, you’ll leave in a second. Every single person in the world would have done what I did,” Tate said, according to MLive.com’s Gillian Van Stratt.
- Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com looks at the Packers‘ backup quarterback battle. The incumbent Scott Tolzien is going up against the once-heralded Matt Flynn for the No. 2 role and some have wondered what might happen if both perform well during training camp. The Packers could, in theory, roll with three QBs, but they haven’t done that since 2008 and doing so would come at the expense of depth elsewhere on the field.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Saints, Graham Closing In On Long-Term Deal
The Saints and Jimmy Graham are “closing in” on a long-term contract agreement that would make the tight end the highest-paid player at his position in NFL history, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). In spite of Graham’s decision to appeal an arbitrator’s ruling on his positional designation, there’s optimism that a deal will be agreed upon by tomorrow’s deadline, according to Schefter.
As I wrote earlier this afternoon, the fact that Graham’s camp appealed arbitrator Stephen Burbank‘s decision that he should be considered a tight end rather than a receiver for franchise tag purposes isn’t necessarily a sign that a long-term extension is unlikely. That appeal just ensures that Graham can attempt to maximize his 2014 earnings, should a multiyear deal not be reached — it could also serve as leverage in talks with New Orleans, since the team would have to account for the fact that a three-person appeals board could overrule Burbank’s decision, making Graham’s franchise tag worth $12.312MM rather than $7.035MM.
In any case, it appears that appeal will be moot, since Graham’s camp and the NFLPA believe the standout pass catcher will have a deal in place with the Saints by tomorrow at 3:00pm central time, tweets Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
When I broke down Graham’s situation this morning, I predicted that the two sides would negotiate an extension worth in the neighborhood of $10MM+ per year, with close to $20MM in guaranteed money, assuming it’s a long-term deal.
Jimmy Graham Appeals Franchise Tag Ruling
3:42pm: In a somewhat unexpected turn, Graham has officially appealed Burbank’s ruling of his franchise tag position, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). A three-person appeals board will now revisit the case and either confirm or overturn Burbank’s decision, which stated that Graham should be considered a tight end rather than a wide receiver.
Although not appealing would have been a stronger indication from Graham’s camp that multiyear negotiations are progressing well, the appeal doesn’t necessarily rule out a long-term agreement by tomorrow afternoon. The threat of Burbank’s decision being overturned may serve as leverage for Graham’s side in contract discussions — if the two sides strike an agreement on an extension tomorrow, that appeal could be dropped.
2:28pm: As I outlined this morning, Jimmy Graham‘s camp has until 3:00pm CT today to appeal the decision made by arbitrator Stephen Burbank earlier this month, which assigned the Saints star the tight end franchise salary ($7.035MM) rather than the wide receiver tag ($12.312MM). However, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that an appeal isn’t currently expected.
When I discussed the Graham situation today, I pointed out that an appeal from Graham’s camp could reduce the likelihood of a long-term agreement between the tight end and the Saints. After all, there’d be little reason to appeal the 27-year-old’s 2014 franchise salary in an effort to gain the extra $5MM+ if he were simply going to play under a new long-term deal anyway. Conversely, if no appeal comes, it could signal that the two sides are moving closer to a compromise.
Of course, there are other reasons why Graham’s camp may not be inclined to file an appeal. They may be pessimistic that Burbank’s ruling would have a chance at being overturned, or perhaps turning down the opportunity to appeal represents a sign of good faith as negotiations between the two sides continue. In any case, we should soon find out definitively whether or not an appeal is made, and within another 24 hours, we’ll learn whether Graham and the Saints can strike a multiyear extension to keep him in New Orleans.
North Notes: Ravens, Brown, Bears, Packers
At least a dozen players who weren’t on last year’s 53-man roster should make the Ravens‘ regular season squad this year, writes Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com. The team will likely expect major contributions from free agent addition Steve Smith, trade acquisition Jeremy Zuttah, and top draft picks C.J. Mosley and Timmy Jernigan, but there are several other new faces who could chip in, as Brown details.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two North divisions:
- The significance of Antonio Brown leaving Roc Nation Sports shouldn’t be understated, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports, who speculates that the Steelers wideout must have had questions about the agency’s true value to leave so soon. Roc Nation, which also represents Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz, doesn’t have an extensive NFL client list, so losing a player of Brown’s nature after just two months is troubling, says Gatlin (all Twitter links).
- John Mullin of CSNChicago.com takes a look at the Bears‘ offensive line, which was one of the team’s strengths last season. Chicago was one of three clubs to start the same five linemen in all 16 games in 2013, so if the club isn’t quite so lucky with its health this year, the depth additions made this offseason could become crucial.
- Aaron Rodgers will work with his fourth center in as many years in 2014, prompting Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel to explore whether likely start J.C. Tretter is capable of finally stopping the Packers‘ revolving door at the position.
Pro Football Rumors Features
Pro Football Rumors passes along the latest news and rumors on NFL player movement 365 days a year, but those aren’t the only updates you’ll see on the site. On our right sidebar, you’ll find a number of additional features and featured posts. Here’s a rundown of a few of them:
- Most of the most noteworthy players on the 2014 free agent market came off the board back in March, but there are still plenty of recognizable veteran names available. You can find the full breakdown of veteran free agents by position using our list.
- With teams having completed their major offseason moves, our Offseason in Review series is in the process of looking back at the changes clubs made to their rosters over the last few months. We’ve examined all 16 AFC teams so far, and have now started in on the NFC.
- Several players figure to receive contract extensions from their respective teams between now and the start of the 2014 regular season, and we’ve identified a number of potential recipients in our Extension Candidate series, which profiles players eligible for extensions and assesses their value.
- It’s been a quiet month for NFL transactions, but that figures to change soon, as training camps get underway around the league. For now, a handful of teams have open roster spots, as you can see using our updated list of NFL roster counts.
- 36 trades have been consummated by NFL teams in 2014, and you can find them all on our recap of 2014 NFL trades, which will continue to be updated up to this year’s trade deadline. Meanwhile, you can keep tabs on traded draft picks for 2015 with our tracker.
- The Pro Football Rumors glossary highlights a number of aspects of the NFL’s salary cap, free agency, and Collective Bargaining Agreement. Feel free to let us know if there’s a specific concept that you’d like us to discuss in a future Glossary piece.
- We value your input at PFR, which is why we regularly publish polls and have a regular feature called Pigskin Links, in which we highlight a few interesting recent articles from football blogs. You can find our poll archives here and our Pigskin Links pieces right here.
- The Pro Football Rumors app for the iPhone and iPad is available for free on iTunes.
- While a handful of our notable articles can be found under the “Featured Posts” section on the right sidebar, the PFR Originals archive rounds up all the original posts from our staff. Recently, we explained the impeding deadline(s) facing Jimmy Graham and the Saints, gauged the value of free agent pass rusher Jason Babin, and broke down the largest 2014 cap hits by team.
Deadline Looming For Saints, Jimmy Graham
Four months after most of this year’s top free agents landed new deals, Jimmy Graham remains unsigned, having been franchised by the Saints. After a dispute over his position, which resulted in Graham receiving the tight end tag ($7.035MM) rather than one for a wide receiver ($12.312MM), the two sides are working toward a long-term agreement, but are running out of time to reach a deal. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect from the Graham situation this week and beyond:
Appeal deadline:
Graham had 10 days to appeal the decision made by arbitrator Stephen Burbank, who ruled that the Saints star is a tight end rather than a wide receiver. It was believed that deadline would be on Saturday, since the ruling broke on July 2. However, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported last week, Graham’s camp believes the deadline is actually today, since they didn’t receive the decision until July 3, and the NFL’s office is closed on Sundays.
Presumably, Graham’s camp would have double-checked to make sure that today is the actual deadline, so we’ll assume for now that they’re right. In that case, an appeal could still come by 3:00 central time today. In that event, Graham’s case to be considered a wide receiver would be put before a three-person appeals board. If the appeals board decided to overturn Burbank’s decision, Graham’s franchise tag would be worth $12.312MM rather than $7.035MM.
Long-term contract deadline:
Here’s one deadline we know for certain: Graham and the Saints have until Tuesday at 3:00pm central time to strike a long-term contract agreement that will keep the tight end in New Orleans for multiple seasons. If they don’t work out a deal, Graham will only be eligible to sign a one-year deal this summer. He’d be eligible for a contract extension again following the final game of the regular season.
Last we heard, discussions between the two sides were moving slowly, with no indication that the Saints had upped their offer of about $9.5MM per year, and no indication that Graham would be inclined to accept that proposal. Still, the team has long expressed optimism about getting something done, and there’s a precedent for talks going down to the wire — the same thing happened two years ago when the Saints used their franchise tag on Drew Brees and ultimately agreed on a multiyear extension.
If no long-term agreement is reached:
If Tuesday comes and goes with no long-term extension in place for Graham, the most likely scenario would see him play out the 2014 season on his one-year franchise salary, then having the same process repeat again in 2015 — a second franchise tag would be an affordable $8.442MM.
Of course, there are other possibilities in play here. If Graham’s camp does indeed file an appeal at some point today and ultimately wins it, he’d play out the ’14 season at a much higher salary, making it significantly more difficult for New Orleans to franchise him again next year, when a second franchise tag would cost $14.774MM. That’s not the most likely outcome, of course, but it’s one the club must consider as it negotiates a long-term deal.
Additionally, since Graham was tagged with the non-exclusive franchise designation, he remains a free agent, meaning a rival team could sign him to an offer sheet. As Joel Corry wrote for The National Football Post earlier this month, there’s nothing in the CBA which suggests the July 15 deadline applies to offer sheets from rival teams as well as multiyear extensions with a franchise player’s own club. So if a team is willing to part with two future first-round picks to sign Graham, it could still sign the 27-year-old to an offer sheet, which the Saints would have five days to match. There are rumblings that a few teams are still considering this, though I’d be surprised if any team actually went all-in on such a move, considering the exorbitant cost in both salary and draft picks.
Prediction:
While I’ve been expecting Graham and the Saints to ultimately compromise and reach a long-term agreement, the lingering possibility of an appeal on Burbank’s decision complicates matter. If an appeal is filed today, it would seem to reduce the likelihood of a multiyear extension, since there’d be little reason to challenge Graham’s one-year franchise salary if he’s playing under an entirely different contract.
Still, I think a long-term extension remains the likeliest outcome, with Graham and the Saints agreeing to a contract at some point within the next 30 hours or so. Something in the range of five years, $50MM+, with between $15-20MM in guaranteed money, would make sense to me.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Poll: Who Will Win The NFC North?
While the NFC North was home to the league’s tightest division race in 2013, it wasn’t exactly a thrilling ride — with the benefit of a tie, the 8-7-1 Packers eked out the division crown over the 8-8 Bears and the 7-9 Lions. It was the Packers’ third straight NFC North title, but it was by far the least convincing, in large part due to to an injury that limited Aaron Rodgers to only nine games.
Rodgers is healthy and will look to lead Green Bay to a fourth consecutive division title in 2014, but the Packers won’t have an easy path. Major changes were afoot throughout the NFC North this offseason, including a pair of elite veteran pass rushers joining division rivals. When Julius Peppers made the move from the Bears to the Packers, Chicago responded by signing former Viking defensive end Jared Allen.
Elsewhere in the division, the Lions bolstered an already dangerous offense by inking wide receiver Golden Tate to a lucrative five-year contract and selecting tight end Eric Ebron with the 10th overall pick in May’s draft. The Bears added not just Allen, but also defensive end Lamarr Houston and rookie cornerback Kyle Fuller, who will look to help stabilize the defense on a team whose offense features arguably the best duo of wideouts in the NFL (Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery).
Meanwhile, 2013’s last-place finishers, the Vikings, may find themselves on the outside looking in if it turns into a three-team race. But Minnesota’s offseason shouldn’t be dismissed. The team bolstered its defense by inking linemen Linval Joseph and Everson Griffen to long-term deals, then drafting linebacker Anthony Barr with the ninth overall pick. Throw in a potential franchise quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater and this is a roster with upside, even if the club may still be a year or two away from making any real noise.
What do you think? Will the Packers’ streak be snapped in 2014, or will Green Bay sit atop the North again at the end of the regular season?
Previously:
Who will win the AFC North?
Who will win the AFC West?
Who will win the AFC South?
Who will win the AFC East?