Payton: Challenge for Saints to sign Jimmy Graham By Kevin Patra Around the League writer NFL.comPublished: Feb. 8, 2014 at 03:16 p.m. 
Sean Payton is confident the New Orleans Saints' brass will get a deal done with tight end Jimmy Graham -- as it did with Drew Brees -- but the coach understands the restraints of the salary cap. "The most challenging part of your job as a coach, and I share that with Mickey or anyone that has been with an organization as long as we have been, going on year nine, is some of the tough decisions that have to be made with regards to your cap with the ability that you possibly can sign Jimmy Graham," Payton said on Fox Sports 1 Friday, via The Times-Picayune. The Saints are projected to be around $12 million to $13 million above the predicted salary cap figure. Graham clearly is a priority, with the franchise tag promised as a last resort to keep him in New Orleans. Payton understands, however, that paying Graham also will require the Saints to make some tough decisions on other players. "It's very easy to say 'you are certainly going to get this done' but you have to understand there is a budget here," Payton said. "That's the challenging part. You are going to read these names that have already come across the ticker from Atlanta last week (the release of cornerback Asante Samuel and linebacker Stephen Nicholas) and we will be no different." The Saints are expected to restructure a few contracts but, as with every team, some of the more expensive veteran players soon could find themselves on the chopping block.
No way Graham gets out. Wonder who's going to be cut loose from the Saints?
No way Graham gets out. Wonder who's going to be cut loose from the Saints?
candidate for a pay cut or release:Will Smith ($11.5M cap saving), Brodrick Bunkley ($4.5M June 1 Cut), Jabari Greer ($3.2M or $4.5M June 1 Cut), Lance Moore ($2.5M) & Pierre Thomas ($2.9M)+ they can rework some deal: Darren Sproles (new deal), Curtis Lofton ($2.2M roster bonus)
The franchise tag for TEs is extremely cheap. Around $5 million...Any guesses as to what's going to happen
Graham only lined up as a tight end 33 percent of the time in 2013, should be the franchise tag for WRs...The CBA states that "the tender will apply to the position in which the player participated in the most plays." That would make Graham a wideout.
Didn't they use the tag on Brees already ??
Graham only lined up as a tight end 33 percent of the time in 2013, should be the franchise tag for WRs...The CBA states that "the tender will apply to the position in which the player participated in the most plays." That would make Graham a wideout.
He wants WR money too....he's already said that.
They did, but settled before they lost the tag for the next year. Anyway, I think the Brees tag was two years ago.I think if the ruling comes out that the Saints have to tag Graham as a WR, there is a decent chance that they will have to let him walk. If they are allowed to tag him as a TE, then they will absolutely tag and keep him. Either way, while I would love to have Graham in a TB uni, we just don't have the cap space ourselves to grab him IMO. I think Leight is looking for value free agents, not pro-bowlers this year. But even if we can't sign him and he walks from the Saints, that's a win for us and the rest of the South.Unless Atlanta finds a way to sign him.
They did, but settled before they lost the tag for the next year. Anyway, I think the Brees tag was two years ago.I think if the ruling comes out that the Saints have to tag Graham as a WR, there is a decent chance that they will have to let him walk. If they are allowed to tag him as a TE, then they will absolutely tag and keep him. Either way, while I would love to have Graham in a TB uni, we just don't have the cap space ourselves to grab him IMO. I think Leight is looking for value free agents, not pro-bowlers this year. But even if we can't sign him and he walks from the Saints, that's a win for us and the rest of the South.Unless Atlanta finds a way to sign him.
He'd wreck our cap. We could sign him , but then we wouldn't be able to address our D-line needs or anything else , and we'd be hamstrung in the coming years trying to sign guys like Lavonte and McCoy.No....if you want the stud TE the smarter course is to draft one in the 1st two rounds.
