Is Jimmy Graham a tight end or a wide receiver? That is the question the NFL Players Association wants answered as they have filed a grievance against the New Orleans Saints for classifying Graham as a tight end.
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The Saints placed the franchise tag on Graham in March and marked him as a tight end which would earn him a salary of $7.05 million. The claim that the NFLPA and Graham are making is that Graham has served as a wide receiver for the Saints more often than a tight end and he deserves the tag as a receiver and a salary of $12.3 million.
Not only would this grievance get Graham a significant play raise, but it would also give him the upper hand when the time comes to negotiate a long-term contract. Graham has a solid claim to being a receiver as 67 percent of his snaps have been in the slot or as a wide receiver, but does that make him a wide receiver?
Graham joins the likes of Jermichael Finley and Jared Cook as players who have fought tooth and nail to not be tagged as a tight end, but more as an offensive weapon. Both of those claims were settled before they reached an arbitrator, but if Graham is serious about getting his $12.3 million he could have to see this through to the end.
Graham will more than likely get a cash number somewhere inbetween his current salary and the number a wide receiver should get. Look for Graham to sign a long-term contract before the start of the 2014 season at about $10 million a year.
[ESPN]
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