xgeoff":v87ootsj said:
I honestly don't think he's worth the money, but it's a tough decision with the way he is producing right now.
And that is our dilemma when judging whether Graham is worth a new contract. Same boat as Kam Chancellor and, one could argue, Jermaine Kearse and Jeremy Lane.
They are, or were, "8.5 out of 10" players (at least on this team). Unfortunately, you can't pay them like 8.5 players, because they'll walk to someone who will offer them "10 out of 10" money.
And we can't risk that because 8.5 production is not something we can just plug in. So we wind up overpaying players because they're too good to easily be replaced, but not quite good enough to merit those enormous contracts.
For me, I pay Jimmy and keep developing Vannett. Jimmy's current performance isn't a "contract year" anomaly. He was 3rd in the league in receptions last year (at his position). If others are really so annoyed at Bevell for taking so long to unleash him in the red zone that they would rather see him walk, that's their choice. But if you take a cold, objective look at the tape, neither Luke Willson nor Nick Vannett have given anyone reason to think they can match Jimmy's talent level, and they
certainly won't once they're doubled by defenses as the team's #1 TE.
If Seattle wants to let 1 touchdown per game walk, they'd better have a McDougald-style under-the-radar free agent signing in the works, or a high draft target, at that position. And given we lack a 2nd- or 3rd-round pick next year, the margin is unusually narrow.