Jimmy Graham became the 1st TE ever to win offensive player of the month honors with 27 catches, 458 yards, and 6 TDs. It couldn't have come at a better time for him either, when he's negotiating a new contract. Better open up the checkbook, Mr. Benson. http://www.neworleanssaints.com/new...eptember/9eae14a5-c5e2-4cdc-90a4-1799509e0754
Or a worse time for the Saints trying to keep him. His agent is going to ask for elite WR money. And have a solid case for it considering his production. I forsee a franchise tag for next season so that the Saints can keep him one more year. Then he will be priced out if our ability to pay.
He'll definitely command $10-12m per year, but I don't think they'll go the franchise route. I mentioned this in another thread, but get rid of Ingram, Smith, and Vilma. Maybe even consider releasing Harper, even though he's playing better this year, but with Jenkins and Vacarro, he may be expendable. Combine all of that with Drew restructuring (which he's on the record as saying he would do) and you free up enough money to pay Graham. The only one I'd hate to see go is Vilma, but he's always hurt and when he does play, his production is down.
I'd be shocked to see Smith or Vilma on the roster a month after this season is over. Would like to see Ingram traded, but I think his value goes down on a weekly basis, and we may be stuck with him, unless he's released. Brees' enormous signing bonus works in the team's favor at this point. Now that's he got the biggest chunk of that contract in the bank, he might be willing to part with a little at the back end if it means the difference between keeping or losing his favorite target.
I got him at $12 million a year, which could be crippling to the Saints in terms of salary cap implications moving forward. The Saints fortuntely hit the lottery this season in both the NFL draft and UDFAs. Draft Picks Vaccaro Armstead Jenkins Stills UDFAs Foster Robinson Lelito Reddick Sweeting
I don't see it being crippling if they create space by parting ways with the players mentioned above and with Drew restructuring; which he's said he would.
