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Jimmy Graham

Fallout From Jimmy Graham Ruling

July 2nd, 2014 at 7:45pm CST by Rob DiRe

Arbitrator Stephen Burbank’s ruling on the Jimmy Graham case will obviously cost the star tight end a significant amount of money, but it would still be best if he is able to work out a long-term deal with the Saints, writes Andrew Cohen of OverTheCap.com. While Graham will be franchised at the bargain rate of $7.035MM, going forward the franchise tag will cease to be an option.

The team was prepared to make Graham the highest paid tight end in the league, and while a second franchise tag is not completely out of the question, to franchise him for a third time would cost upwards of $20MM, the average of the top five highest paid players in the NFL, regardless of position. While Graham can hold out or try to force a trade, he has lost a good amount of leverage. His price tag might have gone down, but there is still plenty of money to make.

The ruling will effect more than just Graham and the Saints, but the ripples of this decision spread out throughout the league.

Here are some other notes from the fallout of Burbank’s ruling:

  • The Burbank decision should immediately lead to two things in the NFL, writes Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com. His first point is the obvious, that the team needs to sign Graham to a long-term deal. The second is perhaps more interesting. Duncan calls for “an amendment to the Collective Bargaining Agreement defining each NFL position to avoid future disputes in free agency.” When other tight ends encounter the same problems in the future, they should be able to point to something definitive, rather than their designation on their own social media page and Burbank’s belief that a four-yard split still enables them to sit back in pass protection.
  • Speaking of Twitter pages, Browns‘ star Jordan Cameron made a significant edit to his after the ruling cited Graham’s social media accounts. Cameron’s bio now reads “Pro Bowl pass catcher for the Browns.” Before today, “pass catcher” instead read “tight end,” reports John Breech of CBSSports.com. We’ll have to wait and see if Cameron’s splits start at five yards instead of four this season, as per the advice of Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter).
  • Vernon Davis is another tight end looking for a new contract, although the Burbank ruling does not effect him tremendously, writes Bill Williamson of ESPN.com. Davis is under contract with the 49ers, not a free agent, and he does not dispute his status as a tight end. However, if he is dissatisfied with being the third-highest paid tight end, Williamson assumes being dropped to fourth on that list will only add to the fire.

Arbitrator Rules Jimmy Graham Is Tight End

July 2nd, 2014 at 11:45am CST by Luke Adams

11:45am: Graham, who has yet to decide whether or not to appeal the decision, will have 10 days to make that decision, tweets Breer. Meanwhile, Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report tweets that there are “a good half-dozen teams” ready to make a run at Graham should talks between the tight end and the Saints reach an impasse.

11:18am: The Saints have won the Jimmy Graham franchise tag positional designation hearing, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that arbitrator Stephen Burbank has ruled Graham a tight end, rather than a wide receiver. The decision means that the franchise tag value for Graham is the tight end amount of $7.035MM, rather than the wide receiver total of $12.312MM.Jimmy Graham

Ultimately, the one-year value on Graham’s franchise tag isn’t hugely significant, since he and the Saints still seem likely to work out a long-term agreement rather than having him play on a one-year contract. Still, it gives the team additional leverage, and sets an important precedent for tight ends who often line up in the slot or split out wide.

Despite the fact that Graham only lined up in a traditional tight end position on the line in about one-third of his offensive snaps, Burbank still decided the Saints star ought to be considered a tight end rather than a wideout. Had the decision instead gone in Graham’s favor, it would’ve given teams pause going forward about where to line up their tight ends, since that positioning could have had financial ramifications down the road.

Although the NFL’s CBA dictates that a franchise player’s position is the one “at which the franchise player participated in the most plays during the prior league year,” Burbank’s ruling seems to indicate that the tight end position isn’t determined solely by where the player lines up. According to Rapoport (via Twitter), Burbank’s decision hinged on the fact that Graham participates in tight end meetings, was drafted as a tight end, and lists himself as a tight end on his Twitter page, among other reasons. Albert Breer of NFL Network adds (via Twitter) that Burbank considered Graham to be playing tight end when he was detached from but still close to the offensive line — specifically, Breer tweets, that verdict applied to the snaps when Graham was lined up within four yards of the o-line, which happened a majority of the time.

Graham’s camp can appeal Burbank’s decision to a three-person board, but that process would take a little time, and July 15 is fast approaching — that’s the deadline by which the Saints and the former Miami Hurricane must reach a multiyear contract agreement. If they don’t have a deal in place by that point, the 27-year-old will have little choice but to play the 2014 season on a one-year pact. As former agent Joel Corry tweets, in that scenario, Graham would likely push to include a clause in his one-year deal that would keep New Orleans from using the franchise tag on him again in 2015.

Back in February, we heard that the Saints were reportedly willing to make Graham the highest-paid tight end in football, exceeding Rob Gronkowski‘s $9MM annual figure. Graham, however, was seeking a deal in the range of $12MM per year. Based on this decision, that $12MM average probably isn’t attainable, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the two sides reach an agreement on something in the neighborhood of $10MM annually.

Graham, a former third-round pick, has been the league’s most consistent and productive tight end over the last three years, averaging 90 receptions, 1,169 yards, and 12 touchdowns per season during that span.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Monday Roundup: Graham, Taylor, Dolphins

June 30th, 2014 at 10:02pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a look at some links from around the league on this Monday evening:

  • Arbitrator Stephen Burbank will issue his decision on Saints tight end Jimmy Graham‘s franchise tag grievance on Thursday, according to Adam Schefter and Mike Triplett of ESPN.com.
  • Steelers‘ cornerback Ike Taylor, who agreed to reduce his 2014 salary from $7MM to $2.5MM in March, and who seemed at peace when speaking with reporters about his decision just a month ago–he simply said “my [new] salary is a lot of money”–has apparently had a change of heart. As Mark Kaboly of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes, Taylor recently appeared on The Jim Rome Show and stated, “Did it hurt me? Hell yeah. Does it still hurt? Yeah, it hurts, but hopefully I can go in and bounce back this year, do what I need to do on the field and we will see what happens after.” Of course, there is nothing Taylor can do about it now, and both he and the Steelers are hoping for a bounce-back year in 2014.
  • ESPN’s Adam Caplan tweets a couple of options for the Eagles as they make to shuffle their offensive line in the wake of the Lane Johnson suspension.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com continues his Best Contract/Worst Contract series with the Falcons. He explains why the team’s best contract is with wideout Roddy White, and the worst is with LT Sam Baker.
  • Dr. David Chao, whose piece for the National Football Post we referenced earlier today with regards to the dangers associated with playing football on dirt–as they do in the Oakland Coliseum–also passed along a couple of Dolphins injury notes. Chao confirms that running back Knowshon Moreno has had his knee scoped and should return in time for the majority of training camp, but he expects center Mike Pouncey to wind up on the PUP list, requiring him to miss at least the first six weeks of the season.

Poll: Most Intriguing NFL Storyline?

June 27th, 2014 at 6:57pm CST by Ben Levine

Minicamps have wrapped up around the NFL and there’s a bit of a lull prior to training camp. Nevertheless, there are still a number of intriguing stories to focus on.

There’s the Jimmy Graham–Saints standoff, where the two sides are haggling over the player’s position. The Saints slapped the franchise tag on Graham as a tight end, thus assuring him a $7.035MM contract. Considering Graham’s production at the position, the player’s side wanted him designated as a wideout. The difference in salary is significant – Graham would receive $12.312MM as a receiver. A resolution is expected sometime next week.

On the morning after the NBA Draft, Cleveland’s focus isn’t as much on number-one pick Andrew Wiggins. Instead, all eyes are on Browns rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel. The former Heisman winner has been stealing headlines for his off-the-field antics, leading some to question whether he can lead the team to their first playoff appearance since 2002. Manziel addressed his critics earlier today, claiming he wasn’t going to change for anybody.

Wide receiver Andre Johnson remains on the Texans roster, even after he expressed his frustration with the team and skipped the mandatory minicamp. It appears that Johnson wants out of Houston, but plenty of obstacles stand in his way. The wideout has three years remaining on his contract and the team doesn’t seem in any rush to trade their disgruntled star.

Or maybe you’re most interested in the saga surrounding the Redskins. The organization recently lost the trademark on the team’s name, with the U.S. Patent Office declaring that the word is “disparaging to Native Americans” and can’t be trademarked under federal law. However, owner Dan Snyder has not relented on his support for the name.

What do you think is the most intriguing NFL storyline at the end of minicamp? Is there something we forgot? Let us know in the comments.

NFC Links: Graham, Davis, Giants

June 27th, 2014 at 3:42pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s been more than a week since the beginning of Jimmy Graham‘s hearing over his franchise tag designation. Those who are antsy for a solution may have to wait a bit longer – sources tell ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio that a ruling isn’t expected until next week. Even then, the losing party will likely appeal the decision. The entire process could stretch beyond July 15, the deadline for inking a long-term deal.

Additionally, we learned some more interesting information about the hearing. Florio reports that Saints head coach Sean Payton testified against Graham, but the specifics weren’t known. We can likely assume one thing, however – if Graham loses his case, Payton’s going to have some difficulty convincing his tight end to participate in “wide receiver drills” during training camp.

Let’s see what else is happening around the NFC…

NFC Notes: Davis, Graham, 49ers, Redskins

June 24th, 2014 at 10:37am CST by Luke Adams

Vernon Davis seems to be keeping a close eye on the outcome of Jimmy Graham’s positional designation hearing, but the Graham decision shouldn’t have a real impact on the 49ers’ contract talks with their tight end, says Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. As Maiocco points out, Graham has a much stronger case to be considered a wide receiver, since he lined up in the slot or split out wide on two-thirds of his snaps, while Davis did so on only about 30% of his snaps.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • With no decision on Graham yet from arbitrator Stephen Burbank, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if the process may extend beyond July 15, the deadline for Graham and the Saints to reach a multiyear agreement. Even if Burbank’s ruling comes this week, it won’t be final until the losing side has the chance to appeal the decision. If New Orleans doesn’t sign Graham to a long-term deal by July 15, the star pass-catcher can only ink a one-year contract for 2014.
  • The 49ers‘ draft was almost universally lauded, and Bill Williamson of ESPN.com looks at what San Francisco hopes each pick will contribute in 2014. Second-rounder Carlos Hyde was thought to be a “steal” at pick No. 57, and is expected to receive opportunities at running back right away. Third-round center Marcus Martin has a chance to win the starting job, and fourth-round linebacker Chris Borland could earn playing time in the absence of the injured NaVorro Bowman.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap provides his take on the Redskins‘ best and worst contracts, identifying one of this year’s free agent signees – Jason Hatcher – as the player with the least team-friendly deal.
  • Jason Avant is expected to provide a veteran presence among the Panthers’ young receiving corps, but leadership alone wasn’t enough to keep him with the Eagles, where the 31-year-old quickly realized he wasn’t a fit in Chip Kelly’s scheme. “When they stop calling your number and guys start running some of the routes that you run,” Avant told Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer, “I knew from the beginning that I didn’t fit his style of offense, in that I’m a crafty guy that gets open in an atypical way.”
  • In the view of Falcons head coach Mike Smith, a player’s salary should be “nobody’s business,” but quarterback Matt Ryan says he isn’t feeling increased pressure now that he’s on a $100MM+ deal, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

Sunday Roundup: Jags, Colts, Graham

June 22nd, 2014 at 12:51pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s round up some of today’s links from around the league:

  • As our Luke Adams noted earlier this month, the Jaguars do not know when Justin Blackmon will be reinstated by the league. The team does not expect Blackmon to contribute in 2014, and they are distancing themselves from even talking about the troubled wideout, writes Gene Frenette of The Florida Times-Union. Even friends, teammates, and ex-coaches are finding it difficult to get a read on where Blackmon is and how his recovery is progressing.
  • Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida-Times Union writes that the ulnar nerve damage that Jaguars‘ jack-of-all-trades Denard Robinson suffered through last season is behind him, so he hopes to put his full skill-set on display in 2014.
  • In the same piece, O’Halloran adds that the Jaguars are likely to keep three tight ends on their roster, and with Marcedes Lewis and Clay Harbor as locks to make the team, the competition between Brandon Barden, Marcel Jensen, Reggie Jordan and D.J. Tialavea will be a fascinating one to watch.
  • John Keim of ESPN.com explains why he is impressed with Redskins‘ outside linebackers coach Brian Baker.
  • Bo Smolka of CSNBaltimore.com wonders if Ravens‘ wide receiver Jeremy Butler can become this year’s Marlon Brown: an undrafted gem that unexpectedly turns into a legitimate threat in the passing game.
  • Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com gives a list of five Ravens that will be “feeling the heat” this summer.
  • In a photo gallery, The Detroit Free Press projects the Lions‘ starters on both sides of the ball.
  • Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer believes the Browns will try to add another receiver or two, and she writes that if quarterback Connor Shaw impresses in training camp as he did in OTAs and minicamp, the team may have to keep him on the 53-man roster rather than put him on the practice squad and risk his being signed by another club.
  • George Thomas of The Akron Beacon-Journal describes the battle for playing time that Browns‘ cornerback Leon McFadden–who was projected to be a starter in his rookie season in 2013–now faces after the influx of talent in the team’s secondary.
  • In a two-part mailbag, Mike Wells of ESPN.com looks at a number of Colts-related items. He writes that, although the team will not hand a starting job to Mike Adams, he would not be surprised to see Adams starting alongside LaRon Landry at safety. Wells also notes that GM Ryan Grigson does not plan on using all of the team’s $13.7MM in salary cap space because he wants to have room to pay Andrew Luck and T.Y. Hilton down the road.
  • Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes that the league wants the Saints to settle Jimmy Graham‘s grievance case, and Florio believes the team would be wise to do so.

Jimmy Graham Hearing Begins Today

June 17th, 2014 at 1:53pm CST by Luke Adams

1:53pm: While an agreement may not be expected between Graham and the Saints before the arbitrator’s decision, agent Jimmy Sexton flew into New Orleans today for a face-to-face meeting with the team, reports Katherine Terrell of the Times-Picayune.

9:34am: Based on the timetable for Drew Brees‘ grievance in 2012, we can probably expect a decision on Graham in about a week, says Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).

8:49am: Most teams around the NFL will be focused on the opening of their mandatory minicamps today, but in New Orleans, management will be watching another situation just as closely. The hearing for Jimmy Graham‘s grievance over his franchise tag positional designation begins today, barring a compromise between Graham and the Saints. And that sort of last-minute settlement appears unlikely, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

If arbitrator Stephen Burbank rules in favor of the NFL, Graham’s franchise tag value will remain at $7.035MM, the tight end figure. If Burbank rules in favor of the NFLPA, that franchise tag increases to $12.312MM, the amount for a wide receiver.

Back when the date of the hearing was first reported, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com indicated that it would occur on June 17 and 18, suggesting it would be a two-day affair. It’s not clear how much of the hearing will extend into Wednesday or when exactly we’ll get word of Burbank’s decision, but we can at least expect both sides to lay out their cases at the hearing today.

According to Rapoport (via Twitter), the NFL will argue that Graham meets in the tight end room, lines up where tight ends line up, and even lists himself as a tight end on his Twitter account. As Triplett wrote last week, the NFL will also point out that Graham’s argument ignores the historical use of tight ends, who often line up split out from the tackle.

Conversely, the players’ union seems to technically have the letter of the law on its side. The NFLPA will make the case that Graham lined up where a receiver would line up on about two-thirds of his snaps, and for franchise tag purposes the CBA defines a player’s position as the one “at which the franchise player participated in the most plays during the prior league year.” The union has “expressed a lot of confidence” in its case, according to Rapoport (via Twitter).

As Katherine Terrell of the New Orleans Times-Picayune notes (via Twitter), this week’s decision isn’t about the $5MM difference between the one-year tight end and receiver franchise salaries — it’s about the long-term leverage that will be afforded to either Graham or the Saints. If Graham wins his grievance, he’ll have the opportunity to push for a multiyear contract similar to that of a top-five receiver. If the Saints win, they should have the leverage to keep that long-term deal more modest, though I’d still expect Graham to become the league’s highest-paid tight end.

The impact of the decision will extend beyond Graham and the Saints as well. If Graham wins the grievance, it could have a real effect on the way teams around the league line up their tight ends going forward, since clubs won’t want to be backed into a spot where they have to pay their standout tight ends like top wideouts.

NFC Notes: Graham, Lynch, 49ers, Vikings

June 16th, 2014 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Both Jimmy Graham and the Saints have plenty to lose depending on what an arbitrator rules this week on Graham’s franchise tag positional designation. Mike Triplett of ESPN.com believes it’d be in the best interest of both sides to reach a long-term agreement before that ruling is made. In Triplett’s view, a multiyear deal with a value of $10-11MM seems about right.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett told NFL AM today (link via NFL.com) that he hopes the standoff between Marshawn Lynch and the club is short-lived, though he threw some support behind his teammate: “Obviously he’s one of the best running backs in the game, and he feels like he should be paid like one of the best backs in the game. And, of course, I agree with him.” Of course, even without a new contract, Lynch already ranks among the league’s top five RBs when it comes to average annual salary.
  • In addition to discussing his contract situation, Vernon Davis also shed some light on his long-term plans at TheMMQB.com today, writing that in 10 years his goal is to “host my own show, start acting, and continue to build a business empire.”
  • Although it’s not 100% clear whether or not Davis will show up at the Niners‘ minicamp this week, offensive lineman Alex Boone will only be in attendance if he has a new deal in place, which appears unlikely, tweets Bill Williamson of ESPN.com.
  • While the Vikings expect a big season from Kyle Rudolph, the team also needs a second tight end to step up and fill the void left by John Carlson’s departure, writes Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune.
  • Rather than choosing a team in free agency that lacked talent on the defensive line so he’d have a better chance at playing time, Alex Carrington elected to sign with the Rams this offseason in order to surround himself with talent, as he explains to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com.
  • The Packers have a decent chunk of cap space still available, but will need to decide how to use it, writes Wes Hodkiewicz of PackersNews.com, adding that extensions for Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb or a new deal for Jermichael Finley are all possibilities.

South Notes: Graham, Hilton, Panthers, Titans

June 13th, 2014 at 8:42am CST by Luke Adams

Jimmy Graham‘s hearing on the positional designation for his franchise tag is scheduled to get underway on Tuesday, and at least one Saints beat writer believes the Saints should win the decision. Larry Holder of the Times-Picayune points to Graham’s production during the rare instances when he was covered by a cornerback last season, arguing that his numbers in those cases don’t compare favorably at all to the league’s best receivers. The idea of determining a player’s value based on his position rather than his overall contributions to the team seems a little archaic to me, so I appreciate that Holder’s argument centers more around the pressure Graham puts on a defense rather than where he lines up — even if that may ultimately not affect the arbitrator’s decision. We’ll have to wait and see if the NFL management council makes a similar case during next week’s hearing.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two South divisions:

  • After parting ways with agent Drew Rosenhaus, Colts wideout T.Y. Hilton has hired Maverick Carter and Erik Burkhardt to represent him, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Hilton still has two years left on his rookie deal.
  • In the wake of Jordan Gross‘ retirement, the Panthers still aren’t sure who will be protecting Cam Newton‘s blind side at left tackle this season, writes Steve Reed of The Associated Press.
  • Northern Colorado signal-caller Seth Lobato auditioned for the Titans yesterday, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Lobato went undrafted last month and signed with the Colts as a free agent, but was cut by the team earlier in June.
  • Former Dolphin Will Yeatman, who was converted from a tight end to an offensive lineman a couple years back, has visited the Texans this week, as well as the Vikings, according to Wilson. Yeatman is recovering from an ACL injury but is expected to be ready for the season.
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