Jimmy Graham - Pro Football Rumors

NFC Notes: Cousins, Brees, Patterson, Graham

September 25th, 2015 at 6:20pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Prior to winning Washington’s starting quarterback job this year, Kirk Cousins had trouble taking care of the football as a backup from 2012-14, throwing 19 interceptions in parts of 14 games. Those issues have carried into this season, as Cousins has tossed four picks in the first three games for his 1-2 team. Despite that, he’s not in danger of losing his job to backups Colt McCoy or Robert Griffin III, head coach Jay Gruden said Friday.

“There’s too many good things going on with Kirk and his progression for us to pull the plug right now because he threw an interception or two,” said Gruden, according to The Associated Press. “But he’s got to be aware and he’s got to protect the football – as does Matt Jones, as does the rest of our football team – for us to have a chance.”

“We’re hoping that a more mature Kirk Cousins will bounce back from these performances,” Gruden added.

To his credit, Cousins has shown an ability to bounce back from a less-than-stellar showing this year. After a subpar Week 1 performance in a 17-10 loss to Miami, Cousins responded by going 23 of 27 for 203 yards, a touchdown and no turnovers in Washington’s 24-10 win over the Rams last Sunday. He’ll be tasked with trying to get off the mat in Week 4 against the Eagles after Thursday night’s two-pick output in a 32-21 loss to the Giants.

Here’s more from the NFC:

The winless Saints aren’t Super Bowl contenders this year and probably won’t be next season, and Drew Brees will be a 37-year-old set to count $27.4MM against their salary cap in 2016. That doesn’t mean they should let Brees go, writes ESPN’s Mike Triplett, who opines that parting with the nine-time Pro Bowler without an obvious successor would be foolish. Triplett believes Brees and the Saints will eventually agree to an extension to keep him in New Orleans beyond 2016, the last year of his current contract.
Given his status as a first-round pick in 2013, Vikings receiver Cordarrelle Patterson‘s production during the first two years of his career was underwhelming (78 catches, 800-plus yards, five touchdowns). Now the Vikings seem to be phasing Patterson out of their game plan, as he has just one reception and, unlike the prior two seasons, hasn’t been a factor on returns. Nevertheless, the 24-year-old remains upbeat. “I really can’t control what goes on,” Patterson said, per Tom Pelissero of USA Today. “Whatever the coaches are going for, you’ve got to stick to their plan and just keep trying to get better.”
Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham is similar to Patterson in that his production is down this year. And, like Patterson, he’s not worried. “This team runs the ball. Simple as that,” said Graham, according to ESPN’s Sheil Kapadia. “We’re not slinging the ball 60 times a game. And if we are, then that means we’re in trouble. I’m just going to keep doing what’s asked of me.” Graham – who averaged 89 catches, 1,100 yards and 11 touchdowns per season with the Saints from 2011-14 – is on pace for 56 grabs, 496 yards and eight TDs in his first year in Seattle.

Seahawks Notes: Lynch, Graham, Kam

September 25th, 2015 at 4:46pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The latest on the 0-2 Seahawks, who will try to break into the win column this week against bottom-feeding Chicago:

Running back Marshawn Lynch has a calf injury and will be a game-time decision Sunday, head coach Pete Carroll said (Twitter link via The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta). Lynch hasn’t quite been himself in 2015, averaging just 3.5 yards per carry with no touchdowns. The Bears give up 4.3 yards per attempt, so whether it’s Lynch or backup Fred Jackson, Seattle should be able to run the ball this weekend.
Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report said earlier this week that tight end Jimmy Graham is frustrated with his lack of usage so far this year. That’s news to Graham, Condotta tweeted. Graham added that he’s only frustrated with losing games (Twitter link). The 28-year-old was among the NFL’s best weapons from 2011-14 in New Orleans, which traded him to the Seahawks in the offseason for Max Unger and a first-round pick. He has been quiet in Seattle, though, with only seven catches, 62 yards and a score in two games.
Safety Kam Chancellor, who ended his long holdout earlier this week, is expected to play Sunday (Twitter link via Condotta).

NFC Notes: Graham, Alonso, Norman

September 23rd, 2015 at 11:33am CST by Luke Adams

The biggest news out of the NFC today is Kam Chancellor‘s decision to end his holdout and report to the Seahawks, but we’ve got several more items to round up from around the conference, including a couple more updates out of Seattle. Let’s dive in…

Tight end Jimmy Graham isn’t happy with the role he has had in Seattle’s offense during the season’s first two weeks, and has questioned why the Seahawks would trade for him if they intended to use him like this, says Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (video link). Freeman expects the team to tweak its offensive approach to get Graham more involved, but if that doesn’t happen, the Pro Bowl tight end could express his unhappiness publicly.
According to Danny O’Neil of 710 ESPN Seattle, the Seahawks would have released veteran center Max Unger even if he hadn’t been involved in the trade that sent Graham from New Orleans to Seattle.
Evaluations on whether or not Eagles linebacker Kiko Alonso will be able to play through his knee injury are ongoing, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Head coach Chip Kelly said today that Alonso has a sprained knee, which doesn’t contradict a previous report indicating that it’s a partial tear of the linebacker’s ACL.
Cornerback Josh Norman has been one of the most impressive players on the Panthers in the early part of the 2015 season, and the team may regret not locking him up in the offseason when he was extension-eligible, writes David Newton of ESPN.com. Norman’s price tag is on the rise as he nears the end of his contract, which expires in 2016.
The lucrative new extension Julio Jones signed with the Falcons in the preseason is paying early dividends for the Falcons, as Orlando D. Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution details.

Extra Points: Hardy, Randle, Jordan

April 29th, 2015 at 10:19pm CST by Zachary Links

NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith firmly believes there is precedent for getting Greg Hardy‘s suspension reduced, Charean Williams of the Star Telegram writes. “In the last three years, we’ve had the league overturned three times in [the Saints’] Bounty, [Adrian] Peterson and Ray Rice,” Smith said as he gears up to defend the Cowboys star. “To me, it’s never a question about whether I’m confident or not. We start with the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and if they continue to seek to impose penalties that are inconsistent with that agreement or inconsistent of the law of the case that has been developed under that agreement, this is what unions do. We fight that.” More from around the NFL..

Cowboys running back Joseph Randle won’t face domestic violence charges for his incident in Wichita, according to Drew Davidson of the Star Telegram tweets. There was a “lack of evidence” cited by the DA’s office in the case. More from around the NFL..
Dolphins defensive end Dion Jordan issued a statement through the NFLPA regarding his suspension. “I’m very disappointed that I will not be playing in the NFL in the 2015 season,” the statement read. “Because of past positive tests and my status in the drug program, the consequence of dilute (not positive) tests is severe. I deeply regret putting myself in this position, and I apologize to my teammates and the Dolphins organization. I will use the time away from playing to finish my college degree. I will stay in excellent physical shape and look forward to returning to the NFL as soon as possible. I’m deeply grateful to my family and friends for their continued support.”
Before the Seahawks traded for tight end Jimmy Graham, they had trade discussions with the Bears about Martellus Bennett, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Alex Boone, who held out last offseason for a new contract, will skip all of the 49ers‘ voluntary activities in the final year of his contract, a source close to the guard tells Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Boone, who will earn $3.4MM in 2015, has not taken part in the 49ers’ offseason program, and he was not on the field Tuesday and Wednesday for the start of the team’s voluntary three-day minicamp at the team’s practice facility.
The Titans have gotten calls from multiple teams inquiring about what it will take to deal for the No. 2 overall pick, league sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Meanwhile, one team executive tells Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) that the Titans have been asking for three first round picks to part with the No. 2 choice. The executive laughed hard when passing that info along, he adds.

Drew Brees On Graham, Unger, Rumors

April 4th, 2015 at 12:04pm CST by Ben Levine

If you thought you were blindsided by the Jimmy Graham trade, imagine how Saints quarterback Drew Brees felt. The Pro Bowler appeared on WWL Radio in New Orleans on Thursday to discuss a number of topics, including the departure of Graham, the acquisition of Max Unger, and the trade rumors surrounding Brees himself. We grabbed some of the more interesting quotes, all via Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com…

On his reaction to the Jimmy Graham trade:

“I think it shocked all of us. A lot of crazy things happened, though, during the course of free agency for a lot of different teams. Unfortunately, you’ve been around long enough, you see some of these things happen at times. If anything it shows the confidence our organization has in the young players, especially the young skill players on offense, just feeling like those are guys that now have a chance to step up and fill a big void and fill a big role and continue to progress forward.”

On the Saints acquiring Pro Bowl offensive lineman Max Unger:

“I was with him in Pro Bowl a few years ago and I think he’s a very good player. I know he was hit by the injury bug a little bit last year. But obviously he can play at a high level. He’s still very much in the prime of his career. I feel like he’ll be a great addition to that front five.”

On how he handled the rumors regarding a possible trade:

“I really did not pay attention one bit. This is the time of year where I’m very focused on the family. People would come up to me and say, ‘I hear you’re getting traded to Tampa,’ and I’d say, ‘OK, that’s great.’ I have a close enough relationship with everyone within the Saints organization that if something was going on, I know that I would hear it from them if there was any reality to it.”

On whether he wants to finish his career in New Orleans:

“I do, absolutely. But I also understand the reality of the business and everything. You’ve got to perform and you’ve got to give them a reason to keep you around.”

Saints Notes: Evans, Spencer, Jordan, Draft

March 25th, 2015 at 10:49am CST by Luke Adams

Although he was the last head coach to arrive at the NFC coaches’ breakfast in Phoenix this morning, Sean Payton of the Saints may have dropped more noteworthy tidbits for reporters in Arizona than any other NFC coach. Let’s dive in and round up the highlights, via Larry Holder, Nick Underhill, Ian Rapoport, and Mike Garafolo (all links go to Twitter)….

The Saints explored the possibility of trading both Jahri Evans and Ben Grubbs, since it wasn’t feasible to keep both high-priced guards. With Grubbs having been sent to Kansas City, Evans is poised to stick around, but his contract may still be addressed and modified, per Payton.
There were “four or five teams” talking to the Saints about a potential Jimmy Graham trade, including the Dolphins. Asked about whether last year’s positional battle or contract negotiations involving Graham played a part in the team’s decision to trade the tight end, Payton replied, “Zero. None.” The head coach added that he has spoken to Drew Brees about the deal, and the quarterback handled it fine.
Payton confirmed that free agent DE/OLB Anthony Spencer visited the Saints on Monday, but said there’s nothing to announce at this point.
Payton likes this year’s draft class for wide receivers, and believes the team will take at least one or two defensive linemen or edge defenders in the draft. Adding a tight end, either in free agency or the draft, is also a priority.
General manager Mickey Loomis has begun discussions on a potential long-term contract extension for defensive Cameron Jordan.
Payton believes there’s a good chance Travaris Cadet would have re-signed with the Saints if the club hadn’t added C.J. Spiller in free agency. The head coach added that he had dinner in Los Angeles with Reggie Bush to discuss a potential reunion before signing Spiller, since the team expected Spiller to “end up somewhere else at a higher number.”
Asked about finding a successor for Brees, Payton said he thinks the veteran quarterback has “a lot of good football left,” but he’s open to drafting a QB if there’s value to be had. However, Payton dismissed the idea of trading up for Marcus Mariota, saying that “won’t happen.”
Prior to releasing him, the Saints wanted Curtis Lofton to make some adjustments and improvements to his game, and to take a pay cut, but it didn’t pan out.

AFC East Notes: J. Graham, Dolphins, Bills, Jets

March 24th, 2015 at 7:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Before the Dolphins signed Jordan Cameron to a two-year deal to replace the departed Charles Clay, Miami had a different target at tight end — former Saint, and current Seahawk, Jimmy Graham, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), who says that the Fins came in second in the Graham sweepstakes. Clearly, Miami wanted to upgrade the TE position this offseason, but this news makes it fair to wonder if the Dolphins assumed all along they would lose Clay to free agency (even though they had designated him as their transition player).

Here’s more from the AFC East…

Bills general manager Doug Whaley made it clear to reporters, including Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News, that he was displeased that his club didn’t make more additions along the offensive line during the offseason. Buffalo did sign guard Richie Incognito, but Carucci writes that the team also made a bid for Packers right tackle Bryan Bulaga, and attempted to trade for Saints guard Jahri Evans.
Another AFC East club — the Jets — might not be done making moves, as GM Mike Maccagnan told reporters, including Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (via Twitter), that New York is still targeting players in free agency, and pointed to running back as a position that could use an upgrade (Twitter link).
One such free agent could be tight end Kellen Davis, who had a visit with the Jets today, tweets Rapoport. The 29-year-old Davis spent last season in Detroit, appearing in six games.
The Dolphins aren’t opposed to retaining free agent running back Knowshon Moreno, Miami GM Dennis Hickey tells Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (via Twitter). The 27-year-old Moreno tore his ACL last October, but Hickey says the RB’s rehab is “going great.”
Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap examines the contract structure employed by the Bills to ensure that the Dolphins wouldn’t match their offer to Clay.

Seahawks GM On Graham, Unger, Williams

March 10th, 2015 at 8:19pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Seahawks have certainly had an eventful Tuesday, orchestrating perhaps the day’s biggest news by acquiring tight end Jimmy Graham and a fourth-round pick from the Saints in exchange for center Max Unger and a first-round selection. Seattle general manager John Schneider spoke to reporters, including Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times, about today’s events, so let’s take look at the highlights:

On how discussions for Graham began:

“We started talking to them probably maybe three days ago, just about general things—lots of different players. This time of year there are a lot of teams that are just trying to move some pieces around to figure some things out as we get close to the deadline to cut down for salary cap purposes to start the new year, and it was no different than a regular call like that. Then he was one of the players who was brought up and we continued to pursue it.”

On his level of surprise at hearing Graham’s name come up in talks:

“Yeah, we think he’s a heck of a player, but there are a lot of names that are talked about. You just never know how serious people are, but it just depends on the different scenarios that you talk through, then the level of intensity or interest either increases or decreases based on the different scenarios that are discussed.”

On losing Unger as part of the deal:

“Any time you’re making these types of trades for a player like this, it’s not just going to be a handover. Both teams had specific needs, for us, we’re going to miss Max’s leadership, he was a core part of what we were doing around here the last several years. He was here when we got here—coach Carroll and his staff actually move him to center for guard, and he really took off. But we have to continue moving this thing forward. We always talk about not having any finish lines, and this is just part of it—tough decisions, but exciting futures as well.”

On how the trade will affect Seattle’s salary cap:

“In some respects it actually helps us. When you take out a first round draft choice like that, the cost of a first-round draft choice is close to 3.5 million. So if we were going to go out and sign a tight end in free agency, and have a huge signing bonus, big paragraph 5, a lot of guaranteed money, that would have hindered some of the things we would have been able to do.”

On signing Cary Williams:

“We’re going to miss (Byron Maxwell) but we had to be ready to go. I think it’s a testament to coach Carroll, Kris Richard, all of the guys that have worked so hard with our defensive backs; he’s a sixth-round draft choice that leaves for a monster, monster contract and we’re going to miss Byron a lot and we’re excited for him but we’re also very excited to add Cary. We felt like we needed to do it early because of the competition at the cornerback position and feel blessed we were able to finish it up last night.”

Seahawks Acquire Jimmy Graham

March 10th, 2015 at 5:41pm CST by Zachary Links

5:41pm: The trade is now official, according to the Seahawks’ website.

2:47pm: The deal has been agreed to, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Graham and a fourth-round choice will go to Seattle in exchange for Unger and a first-round pick.

The Saints have spoken to Seattle and at least one other team about a potential Graham trade, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

2:45pm: The Saints and Seahawks are working to finalize a trade that would send Jimmy Graham and a fourth rounder to New Orleans for Max Unger and a first-round choice, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Just minutes prior to Glazer’s filing, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported that the Saints were shopping many of their players, including Graham.

Graham’s 2015 salary became guaranteed on the third day of the waiver period, which fell on February 4th. Now, after counting for just $4MM against New Orleans’ cap in 2014, the tight end’s cap number has jumped to $11MM for the coming year. The Saints, of course, are tight against the cap this offseason and have been making some tough choices regarding their veteran players. Dealing Graham would be the most surprising move of all, however.

Less than a year ago, Graham ended an uncomfortable stalemate with the Saints by agreeing to a four-year, $40MM deal. The deal includes another $9MM in 2016 and $10MM in 2017, meaning the annual cap hits going forward are $11MM, $12MM, and $13MM, respectively.

Graham was been the league’s most consistent and productive tight end from 2011 through 2013, averaging 90 receptions, 1,169 yards, and 12 touchdowns per season during that span. Last season, he continued the trend with 85 catches for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Unger, 29 in April, played in just six games in 2014 due to injuries. In that short span, Pro Football Focus (subscription required and recommended) ranked Unger as the fourth best center in the NFL, placing him behind only Nick Mangold of the Jets, Travis Frederick of the Cowboys, and Rodney Hudson of the Chiefs. With 25-year-old guard/center Tim Lelito waiting in the wings, the center position wasn’t necessarily at the forefront of the Saints’ shopping list. Still, the trade gives the Saints a bit of cap relief while also giving them one of the very best centers in the game today.

Saints Open To Trading Jimmy Graham

March 10th, 2015 at 2:38pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints have called around and are open to shopping many of their players, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Surprisingly, that list includes star tight end Jimmy Graham.

Graham’s 2015 salary became guaranteed on the third day of the waiver period, which fell on February 4th. Now, after counting for just $4MM against New Orleans’ cap in 2014, the tight end’s cap number has jumped to $11MM for the coming year. The Saints, of course, are tight against the cap this offseason and have been making some tough choices regarding their veteran players. Dealing Graham would be the most surprising move of all, however.

Less than a year ago, Graham ended an uncomfortable stalemate with the Saints by agreeing to a four-year, $40MM deal. The deal includes another $9MM in 2016 and $10MM in 2017, meaning the annual cap hits going forward are $11MM, $12MM, and $13MM, respectively.

Graham was been the league’s most consistent and productive tight end from 2011 through 2013, averaging 90 receptions, 1,169 yards, and 12 touchdowns per season during that span. Last season, he continued the trend with 85 catches for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns.