Sean Payton says the New Orleans Saints definitely want to keep Jimmy Graham and get a deal done, but he needs Graham to understand that every franchise has a budget.
“The most challenging part of your job as a coach, and I share that with Mickey 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 signJimmy Graham,” Payton said on Fox Sports 1 Friday, via The Times-Picayune.
Before they can even consider addressing Graham’s contract, they must figure out how to get below the $13 million they are over the leagues salary cap.
Payton understands that to re-sign Graham there will other casualties of the roster.
“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.”