The New Orleans Saints are one of many teams getting concerned over their salary cap issues. With several marquee players working on expiring contracts, the team has plenty of financial problems to sort out as free agency is set to start on March 11. The biggest name is tight end Jimmy Graham and head coach Sean Payton is a little concerned over the current negotiations.
Payton does not want to get into a situation where players must be released in order to make Graham happy. The Saints head coach spoke to FOX Sports 1 about the free-agent-to-be and where the team was on contract negotiations. Payton admitted that while he would love to give Graham every dollar he wants, that is money that will not be able to be spent on other upcoming free agents that the Saints need.
"With that being said, the first thing that comes to my mind with free agency is your own roster," Payton said, via the Times-Picayune. "I think often times that gets overlooked. The most challenging part of your job as a coach, and I share that with [G.M. Mickey Loomis] 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."
The Saints will likely be forced into using the team's franchise tag. Negotiations for a regular long-term contract have gone nowhere. Now New Orleans must decide whether or not to label Graham a wide receiver or tight end which will determine the size of his one-year deal. Statistically, Graham is a wide receiver. Officially, Graham is a tight end. That will be the factor the decides if he earns $6.8 million in 2014 or $11.6 million.
"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."
So who are the Saints players at risk of getting cut at the expense of Graham? Linebacker Will Smith is a $13.9 million salary cap hit. Lance Moore is a $5.07 million cap hit. Running back Pierre Thomas is a $2.9 million cap hit. They could easily be waived in order for the Saints to maintain Graham.
Payton does not want to be forced to decide who stays and who goes. He understands that Graham is extremely valuable to the Saints and quarterback Drew Brees, but what is the proper cost of keeping him.
