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.
Extra Points: Saints, Steelers, Archer, Irvin
After a tumultuous 2012 season, the Saints got back to their winning ways in 2013 and made the postseason for the fifth time in the Drew Brees–Sean Payton era. A loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Seahawks sent Brees and Payton packing, and the attention turned to GM Micky Loomis.
Loomis made a key addition in former Bills free safety Jairus Byrd, writes National Football Post’s Greg Gabriel, though Byrd will probably miss some time during the preseason after undergoing “minor” back surgery near the end of OTAs.
In his team preview, Gabriel says to keep an eye on Khiry Robinson, a second-year running back from West Texas A&M used sparingly in his rookie season. Robinson has more size than Pierre Thomas and Mark Ingram, Gabriel writes, and could see a larger role in 2014.
Aside from Byrd, the Saints‘ biggest offseason acquisition was wide receiver Brandin Cooks, whom the team traded up for to grab in the first round. Gabriel notes that Cooks will play the majority of his snaps out of the slot and help to fill the void left by Darren Sproles‘ departure.
More notes around the NFL on this Sunday evening…
- When the Steelers drafted Dri Archer with the 97th overall pick, they drafted a player with speed for days. For that reason, they’ll be using Archer at both running back and receiver, coach Mike Tomlin said on NFL Network, according to National Football Post’s Jason Butt.
- Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin underwent hip surgery in early June, but he says his hip feels 100 times better, per NFL.com’s Kevin Patra, who cites the Seahawks‘ depth at linebacker as an indication that Irvin won’t be forced back into action too soon.
- Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union lists four matchups — at Tennessee, vs. Miami, vs. New York (Giants) and vs. Houston — as the most favorable for the Jaguars.
- Though EJ Manuel enjoyed a moderate amount of success as a rookie quarterback for the Bills last season, former Bills GM and current ESPN analyst cautions fans to be patient with the former Florida State Seminole, writes The Buffalo News’ Jerry Sullivan.
Poll: Impact Free Agents
279 free agents changed teams this past offseason, but some will have more of an impact than others, writes Nathan Janke of ESPN.com. Jahnke has highlighted five players who have a chance to come in and immediately transform their team.
His top five are Branden Albert (Dolphins), Jairus Byrd (Saints), Eric Decker (Jets), Michael Johnson (Buccaneers), and Karlos Dansby (Browns).
The list seems to be missing key contributors at first glance, as big name players such as Darrelle Revis (Patriots), DeMarcus Ware (Broncos), Aqib Talib (Broncos), and Julius Peppers (Packers) fail to garner even a mention. When looking at impactful free agent pickups, even Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Giants) and Hakeem Nicks (Colts) could have been considered, as both have a chance to come in and prove their worth immediately.
However Jahnke justifies his selections by pointing out how each of the five teams he highlighted struggled in 2013, and how these five free agents were brought in specifically to turn that particular need around quickly. His reasoning pairs a statistic the team was at the bottom of the league in, with a free agent was near the top:
- The Dolphins, for example, had a mess at left tackle with Jonathan Martin and Bryant McKinnie on the field, creating a revolving door for pass rushers to fly through. Albert ranks third in the NFL in pressures allowed per game since 2011.
- Byrd was brought in to turn around a Saints defense that led the league in passing yards allowed by the safeties. Byrd’s specialty is eliminating plays of more than ten yards over the middle of the field, and turning the mistakes in that area into interceptions.
- Decker was the fifth-best receiver in the NFL in terms of yards accumulated on passes 20 yards or deeper down the field. The Jets quarterbacks were last in the league in passer rating when targeting receivers in 2013.
- Johnson is fourth in the league in pressures as a right defensive end since the beginning of the 2012 season. The Buccaneers defensive ends have missed more than twice as many tackles than the NFL average for the position.
- The Browns were third worst in the NFL in passer rating allowed by inside linebackers in 2013, and dead last in yards after catch allowed. Dansby led the league in passes defended at the position the past two season.
Jahnke ranks them in that order, but there are other free agents to consider as well. Every team hopes the players they sign in the offseason will be able to close up the biggest weaknesses on their roster, and not all of them can live up to expectations.
Which FA Will Have The Most Dramatic Impact In 2014
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Other 33% (83)
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Eric Decker (Jets) 17% (42)
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Branden Albert (Dolphins) 15% (39)
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Jairus Byrd (Saints) 15% (38)
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Michael Johnson (Buccaneers) 10% (26)
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Karlos Dansby (Browns) 10% (24)
Total votes: 252
Extra Points: Dreessen, Cutler, Ferguson
- Speaking with Vic Carucci & Dan Leberfeld on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Broncos tight end Joel Dreessen weighed in on the Jimmy Graham ruling, saying the decision struck a nerve and that he agreed with Tony Gonzalez’s take on the situation: “It’s kind of frustrating that guys who get asked to do probably the second most after the quarterback is kinda down there on the pay scale.”
- Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune listed 12 NFL training camp storylines to watch, including Jay Cutler‘s new deal. “The Bears signed quarterback Jay Cutler to a $126 million contract extension that is essentially a $54 million deal for the next three seasons before it goes year-to-year,” says Biggs. “It’s a huge payday that general manager Phil Emery based on future performance, as Cutler’s resume includes only one postseason victory.”
- Last year was an “uncharacteristically bad year” for Jets left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson, says the New York Post’s Brian Costello, who believes 2013 will prove to be “an aberration and not a sign of decline.” However, Costello does caution: “Ferguson has the highest salary cap figure on the team at $11.7 million. After a few restructurings to help the team gain salary cap space in 2012 and ’13, the bill is now coming due for the Jets. Ferguson’s cap numbers are huge for the next four years. If Ferguson’s play slips, the Jets might have to consider releasing him before the 2016 season, when they could save $9 million in cap space by cutting him.”
- Branden Albert of the Dolphins and Jairus Byrd of the Saints topped ESPN’s list of free agents who will transform teams. The last three seasons, Albert has allowed just 4.6 pressures per 100 pass blocks, good enough for third in the league over that span. As for Byrd, he allowed a paltry 0.23 yards per coverage snap last season, third-best in the league.
- Answering questions about the Eagles’ projected roster, PhillyMag.com’s Tim McManus said he doesn’t expect many “curveballs,” i.e. surprises, when the team’s 53-man is finalized. McManus expects LeSean McCoy, Darren Sproles and Chris Polk to serve as the running back trio, and he expects Brad Smith to stick as the fifth receiver. The one mild surprise could be Travis Long forcing veteran Brandon Graham out, though that would mean employing two backups at defensive end (Long and first-rounder Marcus Smith) with no NFL experience.
- Entering training camp, 49 Patriots players are “sure-fire locks” or “near locks,” in the estimation of ESPN New England’s Mike Reiss, who breaks down the projected roster.
South Links: Richardson, Phillips, Vaccaro
Despite averaging just 2.9 yards per carry in 2013, Trent Richardson is penciled in as the Colts’ No. 1 running back, writes ESPN’s Mike Wells: “Richardson obviously was behind the rest of his teammates after being acquired just days before the Colts’ Week 3 game against San Francisco, but he didn’t show much progress as the season went on. He actually regressed as the season went on. Richardson has to step up to not only avoid being labeled a bust after being taken with the No. 3 pick in the 2012 draft, but also to help the Colts from looking like they got played by the Browns in the trade.” In exchange for Richardson, the Browns received the 26th overall pick, which they used to trade up for Johnny Manziel.
Here’s some more AFC and NFC South links:
- Shaun Phillips is fitting in well with the Titans thanks to his veteran presence and likable personality, writes Jim Wyatt in the Tennessean. Phillips, 33, has totaled 19.5 sacks the last two seasons with the Broncos and Chargers. He signed a two-year, $5MM deal in Tennessee.
- Second-year Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro brings unique “duality” to the secondary, writes NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal, who identifies Vaccaro as a rising star. Vaccaro’s versatile skill set enables defensive coordinator Rob Ryan to deploy him as a safety, cornerback or linebacker. “Ryan might have asked Vaccaro to do too much as a rookie,” according to Rosenthal. “In the first half of the season, Vaccaro didn’t excel when he lined up as a deep safety. The Saints have spoken this offseason about dialing back Vaccaro’s responsibilities with Jairus Byrd in town. With Byrd taking most of the traditional “free safety” roles, Vaccaro should be freed up to play closer to the line of scrimmage. They should be the best safety tandem east of Seattle.”
- The Panthers turned over their receiving corps this offseason. With the dust settled, first-rounder Kelvin Benjamin is joined surrounded by a few veterans and a few more unproven players vying for jobs. Panthers.com staff writer Max Henson provided a position preview.
- Reid Ferrin of AtlantaFalcons.com did the same for the Falcons receiving corps, which has significantly more star power and significantly fewer question marks.
NFC Links: Saints, Cowboys, Cardinals, Rams
Saints tight end Ben Watson was keeping tabs on the franchise tag situation regarding his team and the player he backs up, Jimmy Graham. However, the 33-year-old is confident that both sides will be able to move on and told ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett that heated moments accompany any contract negotiation…
“I’m very confident that it’ll be resolved the right way and guys can move forward. Obviously it’s always tough when you go through litigation with somebody, and it can probably get heated. And I’m sure there are emotions on both sides. But that is the business side of the game.
“And it’s unfortunate that it came to that and that it was so public. But I really think – I know, I don’t think – I know that Jimmy loves New Orleans and I know that he loves our team and the organization and he loves playing here. And we love him, everybody wants him here, coaches included. So when it comes down to contract situations, that’s just a necessary evil…not even evil, but just a necessary progression of getting a player here.”
Let’s check some more NFC notes…
- Nick Hayden had a great comeback last season with the Cowboys, but Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News writes that free agent addition Terrell McClain will push him for the starting defensive tackle gig.
- Cardinals linebacker Ernie Sims is hoping to play ten seasons in the NFL, the veteran told Jim Henry of the Tallahassee Democrat. The 29-year-old has played for four teams during his eight-year career.
- Count Will Witherspoon as a Kenny Britt fan. The former Rams linebacker thinks his former Titans teammates will flourish in St.Louis, the free agent said on SiriusXM NFL Radio (via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com). “I think the addition of Kenny Britt will be a huge boost for the Rams offense,” Witherspoon said. “I expect him to blossom into a star.”
Jimmy Graham Contract Talks Moving Slowly
While all eyes in the sports world this week have been on a certain NBA free agent, one of the top 2014 NFL free agents technically remains on the market, and two important deadlines are looming for Jimmy Graham and the Saints. The two sides have until July 15 to work out a long-term agreement for the franchise player. If no multiyear contract is agreed upon by that point, Graham can only sign a one-year deal with New Orleans.
Additionally, Graham has a 10-day window to appeal the decision made by arbitrator Stephen Burbank, who ruled that he is a tight end rather than a wide receiver, meaning his one-year franchise tag is worth $7.035MM rather than $12.312MM. Burbank’s decision came down on July 2, which would suggest Graham and the NFLPA would have to file an appeal by tomorrow, prompting a three-person appeals board would review the case. However, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that Graham’s camp believes the deadline actually comes on Monday, since the Saints star received the ruling on July 3, and the league office is closed on Sunday.
We heard on Monday that contract talks between Graham and the Saints were expected to resume this week, and it seems that has indeed happened. However, according to Florio, those discussions have been moving slowly, and the two sides don’t appear on the verge of reaching a deal.
The pair of deadlines could provide an interesting predicament for both sides as Tuesday’s deadline approaches — if Graham’s camp files an appeal by Monday (or by tomorrow, depending on when that deadline actually arrives), a final decision on his positional designation likely won’t be made until after July 15. As such, if the two sides don’t come to an agreement by Tuesday, the Saints risk Burbank’s decision being overturned, meaning they’d be on the hook for a much larger franchise salary for Graham in 2014.
Complicating matters further is the fact that, since he received the non-exclusive franchise tag, Graham is still technically a free agent, albeit a restricted one. If another team is willing to give up two future first-round picks, it could sign the 27-year-old to an offer sheet and hope New Orleans decides not to match it, and recent reports have indicated a few teams haven’t ruled out this possibility.
At last word, according to Florio, the Saints’ offer to Graham was in the $9.5MM per year range, which would be enough to make him the highest-paid tight end in the league, but is nowhere near the $12MM annual figure he was initially seeking. We’ll have to wait to see whether the two sides find a common ground by Tuesday, and also whether Graham’s camp appeals last week’s franchise positional ruling, which would throw another wrench into the negotiations.
Extra Points: Graham, Jones, Cowboys
Earlier today, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk got his hands on testimony from the Jimmy Graham franchise-tag grievance hearing. One of the more interesting highlights: former Buccaneers special assistant to the head coach Butch Davis said that the team’s draft strategy in 2012 was fueled directly by a desire to stop Graham. “We took [safety] Mark Barron in the first round simply because of Jimmy Graham,” Davis said of the team’s decision with the eighth overall pick that year. Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, the Saints have gone 4-0 against the Bucs since then. Here’s more from around the league..
- In former Ravens defensive end Arthur Jones, it’s clear that the Colts got the type of player and personality that they’ve been looking for, writes Kevin Bowen of Colts.com. Indianapolis pried Jones away from Baltimore this offseason with a five-year, $33MM deal that includes $10MM in guaranteed money.
- Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com looks back to see what could have been for the Cowboys had they gambled on certain players. For example, if they put in a higher bid in the 2012 supplemental draft, they could have won top prize Josh Gordon, who is suspended for the 2014 season. The Cowboys would also look rather different if they went with Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel in this year’s draft. While both athletes are talented, right now it seems like the Cowboys were better off steering clear of both of them.
- Brandon George of the Dallas News writes that the Cowboys have depth but very little experience at the left defensive end spot.
NFC Links: Greenway, Graham, Riddick
Vikings veteran linebacker Chad Greenway, coming off a disappointing 2013 season in which a wrist injury affected his play, is a player with “something to prove,” according to ESPN’s Ben Goessling: “Greenway took a paycut after a disappointing 2013 season with the Vikings, and he has just one year left on his contract after this season. The Vikings would have to count only a $1.7 million bonus proration against their 2015 cap if they cut Greenway after this season, and they’d save $7.1 million, meaning Greenway could be looking at another contract restructure or a release if he doesn’t pick things up at age 31 this season.”
Here’s some more NFC-related reading:
- ESPN’s Mike Triplett did his best to clarify an arbitrator’s ruling that — for the purpose of the Saints’ franchise tag designation — Jimmy Graham was a tight end, in part, because of the so-called “4-yard benchmark.”
- Late last month, Tim Twentyman wrote about Lions running back Theo Riddick turning heads with an impressive spring which caught the eye of head coach Jim Caldwell in particular. Now backup quarterback Dan Orlovsky is adding to the hype. Talking on Ross Tucker’s podcast, Orlovsky said, “I’m telling you, if [Riddick] doesn’t 50 catches this year, I’ll be surprised because he’s going to have opportunities and he’s very talented at it. I think he’s going to play that Sproles role, for sure.”
- Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is rehabbing from back surgery for the second consecutive offseason, writes David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, but Romo says his conditioning is “miles ahead of last year.”
- Barry Church will hold down one safety spot for the Cowboys, but his running mate is to be determined. Bryan Broaddus of DallasCowboys.com thinks it will come down to J.J. Wilcox or Jakar Hamilton. “Wilcox has lost weight and is playing with better movement along with a better understanding of what his responsibilities are,” says Broaddus. Matt Johnson, a 2012 fourth-rounder out of Eastern Washington, is the most talented of the bunch, according to Broaddus, but Johnson hasn’t been able to stay healthy.
- The Redskins drafted Josh LeRibeus in the third round in 2012 anticipating he would develop into a starter. Two years later, he must prove himself a capable backup just to stick on the roster, writes Mike Jones in the Washington Post.
- In a rundown of NFC South depth chart notes, Pro Football Focus’ Gordon McGuinness recognized the encouraging play of a pair of 2013 rookies: Saints offensive tackle Terron Armstead and Buccaneers running back Mike James, both of whom made the most of limited opportunity.
Werder On Graham, Saints, Josh Gordon
ESPN NFL insider Ed Werder reported earlier today that the Saints are expected to resume contract negotiations with tight end Jimmy Graham this week, but that wasn’t Werder’s only morning update. He has a few more details on Graham, as well as a note on troubled Browns receiver Josh Gordon, so let’s round up the highlights….
- Sources tell Werder that Stephen Burbank’s decision to consider Graham a tight end rather than a wide receiver made the Saints star more appealing to other teams around the NFL. Somewhat lost in the dispute over Graham’s position is the fact that he’s still technically a free agent, albeit a restricted one — if another team is willing to give up two future first-round picks, it could sign the 27-year-old to an offer sheet and hope New Orleans decides not to match it.
- As Werder notes, clubs expecting to draft in the 27-32 range in the first round next year could be top candidates to pursue Graham, since the draft-pick penalty wouldn’t be so harsh. Werder identifies the Patriots, Colts, and Falcons as possible teams to watch. However, he doesn’t believe the Packers would consider such a move since they value their draft picks highly and want to maintain room to re-sign Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb.
- Of course, as Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets, many teams expecting to pick late in the first round don’t have the cap space to make Graham an offer that the Saints would have trouble matching. Of the teams mentioned by Werder, the Colts – with $13MM+ in room – are best positioned from a cap perspective.
- As for Gordon, sources tell Werder (Twitter link) that some people close to the Browns wideout have been urging him “to seek professional assistance for substance-abuse issues” since high school. Gordon’s former Cleveland teammate, D’Qwell Jackson, is among those imploring those around him to reach out. “He needs help, he really does,” Jackson said, according to James Walker of ESPN.com. “He needs people to extend themselves and probably have to do more than they wanted to do. But if [the Browns] care anything about the kid, they have to do it.”
- More Jackson on Gordon: “[He] was a big piece of the Browns‘ future; It’s just unfortunate he didn’t view it that way. He is so valuable. He doesn’t understand how valuable he is to an organization. He has no clue.”