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Saints, Graham Closing In On Long-Term Deal

July 14th, 2014 at 4:19pm CST by Luke Adams

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

July 14th, 2014 at 3:42pm CST by Luke Adams

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.

Nothing Imminent Between Leonhard, Packers

July 14th, 2014 at 1:38pm CST by Zachary Links

Over the weekend, free agent safety Jim Leonhard told WQOW-TV that he’s talked to the Packers about joining the team and seemed to indicate that a deal could be struck this offseason.

“They’re a great organization,” Leonhard said. “I’d love to play for them but it hasn’t worked out up to now. You never know what can happen in the future, but we’ll see.”

However, in a chat with SiriusXM NFL Radio earlier today, Leonhard threw cold water on such talk, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports 1 (on Twitter). Leonhard says that his agent is talking with clubs, just as he does every offseason when he’s not under contract, and says a deal isn’t imminent.

Leonhard, who has nine NFL seasons to his credit and 67 career starts, spent last season with the Bills and recorded five pass deflections, four interceptions, and 30 tackles. The 31-year-old is a native of Tony, Wisconsin and attended the University of Wisconsin, so it stands to reason that he would be excited to join up with the Packers. As of right now, however, it sounds like a homecoming is far from guaranteed.

Leonhard has 302 tackles and 12 interceptions over the course of his career with the Bills, Jets, and Broncos. The Packers already have safeties Morgan Burnett, Micah Hyde, and rookie Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in the fold, so it’s unclear how much interest they might have in Leonhard. One would have expected Browns coach Mike Pettine, who has coached Leonhard with three different teams, to come calling, but it doesn’t appear that has happened yet.

In today’s interview, Leonhard also said that he plans to make 2014 his final NFL season, tweets Marvez.

East Notes: Cowboys, Bills, Orton, Melton

July 14th, 2014 at 1:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Last week, as a part of our ongoing Offseason In Review series, Pro Football Rumors looked at the Jets and the moves they made to improve heading into 2014. The Jets made major changes this offseason and said goodbye to mainstays like Mark Sanchez, Antonio Cromartie, and Santonio Holmes. Plenty of star power has been infused back into the roster thanks to the additions of Eric Decker, Michael Vick, and Chris Johnson, but there’s really no telling how things will play out for coach Rex Ryan and Gang Green this year. Here’s this afternoon’s look at the AFC and NFC East..

  • Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com believes that the Cowboys will carry three quarterbacks for the first time since 2011 and believes that Kyle Orton will ultimately report to training camp. Brandon Weeden is a virtual lock for the third spot and if Orton ultimately doesn’t come back to the Cowboys, Caleb Hanie and Dustin Vaughan will vie for the final slot.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap looks at the best and worst contracts on the Cowboys roster. The Cowboys’ best deal, in Fitzgerald’s view, is the one they have with defensive tackle Henry Melton. Melton is signed to a reasonable one-year deal with a team option after 2014 that would keep him for another three years. Meanwhile, cornerback Brandon Carr and his contract with $25.5MM guaranteed doesn’t look so great for Jerry Jones & Co. right now.
  • Mike Rodak of ESPN.com looks at the Bills‘ defensive ends and their contracts. It’s no surprise that Rodak sees Mario Williams, the league’s highest paid DE, as the most overpaid bookend on the roster. Williams has turned in dominant performances like his 4.5 sack game against the Panthers last season, but he’s yet to really deliver the kind of play overall that would justify his cap hit. When it comes to the most underpaid DE in Buffalo, Rodak doesn’t have a pick, even though he considered giving that title to Jerry Hughes, who had 10 sacks in 2013.

North Notes: Ravens, Brown, Bears, Packers

July 14th, 2014 at 11:32am CST by Luke Adams

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

July 14th, 2014 at 10:07am CST by Luke Adams

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

July 14th, 2014 at 8:31am CST by Luke Adams

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:Jimmy Graham

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.

AFC Notes: Jaguars, Ravens, Browns

July 13th, 2014 at 9:46pm CST by Peter Sowards

Paul Posluszny is one of the few constants in Jacksonville. Unfortunately, losing is another. But, that’s not his fault, as he’s played in all but one game in three seasons with the team and is coming off his first Pro Bowl appearance.

But, as The Florida Times-Union’s Ryan O’Halloran writes, there is uncertainty aside from Posluszny in the Jaguars linebacker room. Projected starters Dekoda Watson and Geno Hayes have been battling injuries, and backups LaRoy Reynolds and Telvin Smith are mostly untested.

O’Halloran remarks that linebackers coach Robert Saleh, defensive coordinator Bob Babish and coach Gus Bradley will focus on the group intently, and he assumes that the aforementioned five linebackers are safe, which leaves a single roster spot for J.T. Thomas, John Lotulelei, Nate Stupar, Allen Bradford and Marcus Whitfield.

More notes from the AFC:

  • The future of Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith is not likely to be affected after his arrest for disorderly conduct, CSNBaltimore.com’s Clifton Brown reports. The team has already exercised Smith’s fifth-year option and plans to sign him to a long-term deal.
  • Joining the Seahawks, Broncos and Ravens, the Browns will use a live animal as its mascot, according to Cleveland.com’s Tom Reed. Swagger, a bullmastiff, will lead the team onto the field before games.

Clayton On Falcons, Gordon, Thanksgiving

July 13th, 2014 at 8:09pm CST by Peter Sowards

ESPN’s John Clayton has been covering the NFL since his high school days in 1972, and you’d be hard pressed to find a more knowledgable man or woman on pro football. His Sunday mailbags are a treat, full of wit and wisdom, and we’re passing along some of Clayton’s best responses to readers’ questions to you.

Clayton also touches on the Giants and Bills, the two teams meeting in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game and thus the first two teams to open training camp.

On the Falcons’ defensive line:

“The Falcons‘ pass rush has to be better. Their nickel defense gave up 6.48 yards per play and 7.75 yards per attempt and had only 23 sacks this past year. The return of a healthy Kroy Biermann will help. Former Dolphin Paul Soliai is a big, physical addition to the defensive line, but it’s unclear how the Falcons will use him. He’s a run-stopper who could draw an extra blocker, but he has only 4½ sacks in his seven NFL seasons. I’ll be intrigued to see if Ra’Shede Hageman can get into a pass-rushing role in the nickel. He might be a pretty special athlete.”

On the ramifications of Josh Gordon‘s impending suspension:

“If Gordon is suspended for the year, his contract would be tolled, meaning his deal would be put on pause and he would still have two years remaining when his suspension is lifted. His salary would not count against this year’s cap. Plus, the team would have the ability to try to get him to pay back the prorated amount for one year of his signing bonus, a total of $518,209. Gordon would count only the $518,209 on this year’s cap if he is suspended. If the Browns get the signing bonus back, they would get a rebate on the amount in next year’s cap. The bigger problem, though, is that the Browns would lose one of the best young receivers in the game.”

On the possibility of a team that plays on Thanksgiving this year — Bears, Lions, Eagles, Cowboys, Seahawks and 49ers — winning the Super Bowl, which hasn’t happened in 18 years:

“I did not realize that. Part of it is because Dallas and Detroit are the two traditional Thanksgiving hosts. The Cowboys have been an 8-8 team for the past three years and most recently won the Super Bowl in the 1995 season. The Lions have made only one trip to the playoffs since 1999 and never have reached the Super Bowl. The addition of a third game in 2006 hasn’t ended the trend, but it might this year. San Francisco and Seattle are two of the best teams in football. The Bears are contenders, and the Eagles might have the best team in the NFC East. Interesting thought.”

Extra Points: Saints, Steelers, Archer, Irvin

July 13th, 2014 at 6:16pm CST by Peter Sowards

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.
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