Miguel-Not every NFL rule is in the CBA. I can not find a link at this time so you will have to trust me on this. The rule covers 2014 and 2015. After the draft the rule will cover 2015 and 2016. Because it covers 2014 teams without a first round pick in 2014 like Indy can not sign Graham to an offer without first obtaining a first round pick that is better than their slotted position.
I retract my "trust Mort than anyone on this board" statement. I definitely trust you more than him (and Ian for that matter). While we're on it though, could a team (like Indy) potentially wait until after the draft to sign him to an offer if he does not sign the tag offer, thus making the above described scenario a possibility.
With the possibility of a legal battle over his designation it could potentially still be unresolved by the time the draft comes and goes. Even if it's not NE involved I'm just curious what another potential suitor may try.
Homeland Defense-Can't see the Saints letting him slip away. Similar to the way we say, "Get Brady weapons for a final run", I'm sure Brees wants Graham for a run.
Brady's wanted a lot of guys to stick around. It's a business, though.
Brady_to_Moss-A team would be stupid to give them 2 1st rounders for graham
Draft picks are a gamble. Percentages not withstanding, Rick Mirer and Troy Brown came out of the same draft. Remember offhand who was the #1 pick the year Brady got drafted? Bet you had to look it up.
patsinthesnow-Ok, we disagree to a large extent. Graham doesn't even play 80% of the snaps and comes out of running plays. Add to the fact that he's soft in man coverage, he may be the most overrated player in the NFL next to Clay Matthews.
I'll take Graham's 10 TD's a year over Matthews 10 sacks a year, and you just proved the point that he
should have been tagged as a WR. There both apples to oranges comparisons anyway.
While we're on Matthews, why all the hate for a defensive guy who plays in the NFC North?
Bhelmut-NO WAY - where do the people that start these threads think we are going to get the money from? These guys are already pretty rich, but unless they will play for $1, signings like this aren't happening.
Every team pays there players under the salary cap rules. No team has circumvented the cap since the '90's. They get the money from TV deals, ticket prices, merchandise ect. 133 mil spread out evenly between 53 players is a 2.5 mil average. Guys get signed for a lot more than Graham will command.
Salva135-He's rated as the best tight end who is stayed healthy over the last two years and is an elite offensive weapon, that sounds rightfully rated to me.
That earns a like.
patsinthesnow-He has a QB who's thrown for 5,000 yards the last 3 years. It's no surprise he has great stats. He sucks at blocking and goes soft against good defenses.
I'd rather Jordan Cameron, Vernon Davis, and probably Julius Thomas over Jimmy Graham. Most would disagree with my opinion, but I feel fantasy football has distorted many people's views on Graham.
Valid points and I don't think those 3 are out of whack comparison's, accept there actual TE's. Apples to oranges, somewhat.
I know this does sound like fantasy football, but I can't help but think about the Hutchinson-Burleson Vikings-Seahawks cluster-f. I know it's not the same (apples to oranges on my part, somewhat), but there is some precedence.
patsfan-1982-i agree a TE his size twice got shut down last year by a CB. if Sherman or Talib tried to cover Gronk one on one he would eat them alive
Graham's only game without a catch was against us. He caught 3 and NO only TD against SEA. I'd much rather see us keep Talib over hypothetically getting Graham, but I think we all know he's gone. If we tagged him this thread would have died.
