REALITY BITES: Graham is Gone From NOLA

The clock reads 1:37 left. It’s the 4th quarter of the 2011 NFC Divisional playoff game. The Saints have to score here — or their season is over.

Drew Brees drops backs goes through his progression and finds Jimmy Graham racing down the middle of the San Fransisco Forty-Niner’s secondary. Brees reaches back, throws the ball and it finds it way into the outstretched arms of Jimmy Graham.

Graham races 66 yards towards the end zone. Touchdown! Saints!! The visions of another Super Bowl were dancing in all our heads.

Reality bites, there’s no two ways around it if you’re a Saints fan right now. All-World tight end Jimmy Graham has left the building — rand it’s a bitter pill to swallow. Jimmy Graham is gone from NOLA.

More from Big Easy Believer

The Saints’ offense has gone from comfortably being the best in the league in 2014 to God knows what now looking ahead to 2015. The Saints unceremoniously dumped Pierre Thomas almost a week ago and now this.

For many fans this is like getting kicked square in the chest while falling down. Take a breathe and back away from the ledge if you’re a Saints fan.

It seems like for the Saints the sky is falling but, it only seems like that. Jimmy Graham was the best tight end in the game and now the Saints lost him.

Wait, was the best tight end in the game?

That’s right, Jimmy Graham wasn’t the best tight end in the NFL in 2014.

Graham was hindered by an injured shoulder garnered only 889 yards in 16 games and 10 touchdowns. Compare those numbers to the best tight end in the game Rob Gronkowski.

Gronk’s 1,124 yards in 15 games coupled with 12 touchdowns led all tight ends in the league.

It’s of little consolation for Saints fans who just watched the Saints best offensive weapon walk out the door.

Or is it? Jimmy Graham’s last year in New Orleans wasn’t exactly a human highlight reel.

It was clear for true students of the game that Graham wasn’t in full form. Graham’s shoulder injury began to affect his ability to play completely uninhibited like the fans of the Saints were use too.

Aug 15, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham (80) is pursued by Tennessee Titans linebacker Wesley Woodyard (59) during first quarter of a preseason game at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Teams have figured Graham out. The key to subdue Graham is to be physical with him throughout the game and get in his face from the point of the snap.

Teams like the Seahawks and the 49ers were able to do this to Graham. Graham’s stats against physical teams like this aren’t anything to write home about.

That doesn’t mean he’s not dangerous. He still has the ability to hurt teams in a heartbeat given the chance.

In 2013 Graham logged a whooping 6 games in which he caught passes for over 100 yards. In 2014 Graham only had one game in which that happened. I’m not saying Graham is on the downside of the slope but, something was clearly wrong.

Instead of opting for shoulder surgery in the off-season, Graham decided to stay away from the knife. While I do not in any way wish this amazing player and young any harm, he’s still only a couple hard hits away from needing surgery.

If Graham is an potential injury risk coupled with a performance from last year that was a little off then the money he is owed may not make a lot of sense.

It makes even less sense if he needed surgery mid-season. Maybe, just maybe — Mickey Loomis and Sean Payton are leading everyone on. It’s quite possible they know more than anyone wants to give them credit for.