This week New Orleans Saints player Jimmy Graham is in an arbitration against the NFL to decide which position he plays. This is not normally something a player needs to go to court for, as players play the position their coaches tell them to. However this is not about Xs and Os on a board or field, but about number of snaps and number of dollars. This offseason, with his contract expiring, the New Orleans Saints franchise tagged the All-Pro tight end to prevent him from hitting free agency. This too is not an unusual thing; players are franchise tagged every season, so what is the problem? Five million dollars is the problem. That is the difference between the wide receiver and tight end franchise tags.
Graham argues that as he lines up out wide more often than he does as a traditional tight end and that he is a focal point of the Saints potent passing attack, that he should be tagged as a wide receiver rather than a tight end and therefore entitled to $12 million next season instead of the $7 million the tight end tag would bring him. The facts do somewhat support Graham’s claims: Graham led the league in touchdown receptions with 16 in 2013, and was 15th in receiving yards ahead of Pro Bowlers Larry Fitzgerald, Victor Cruz and Mike Wallace. Also the players association NFLPA, who are representing Graham in his case, are arguing that Graham was lined up in the slot or out wide in 67 percent of his snaps last season
The NFL argument against Graham as a tight end is not as statistical. The NFL have based their argument on the fact that Graham is listed on the Saints roster and depth chart as a tight end, he reports to the tight end positional meetings and Graham also describes himself as a tight end on his social media pages.
The Changing Role of Tight Ends
At the heart of this argument is the evolution of the tight end position. Tight ends have gone from blockers who can catch, to potent receivers who have the ability to create mismatch nightmares for defences. Graham is not alone in being a big part of his team’s offensive focus. Rob Gronkowski is as important to the New England Patriots’ offense as Graham is to the Saints, Vernon Davis is as important to the San Francisco 49ers offense as wide-out Michael Crabtree, and Julius Thomas emerged as just as potent a threat for the Denver Broncos as either Demayrius Thomas or Wes Welker.
Perhaps out of this arbitration a new way of defining tight ends may come to pass. Those that are primarily pass catchers may get a separate designation from those whose primary function is run blocking. This could lead to separate franchise tags for a position that is becoming more valued by teams and at least by contracts and 1st round draft picks (2 tight ends taken in the first round in the past two years as opposed to no running backs) seems to have surpassed the running back position in terms of importance to a team.
From Graham’s point of view, the arbitration may eventually just be a means to an end, as he tries to negotiate a new contract with the Saints, a positive verdict would be a great piece of leverage to bring to the negotiation table. However the repercussions may have far wider consequences for the whole league and how the evolving tight end is viewed in front offices as opposed to the recognition of its changing role it already has from coaches.
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