CUTE: Brandon Graham May Hold Out For A New Deal

Philly – Defensive end Brandon Graham has stopped attending Eagles workouts and is expected to skip organized team activities later this month – and also possibly mandatory minicamp in June – until the Eagles renegotiate his contract, two NFL sources said. Graham signed a four-year, $26 million contract in 2015 and is slated to earn $6.5 million in each of the last two years of the deal. He was the Eagles’ most productive defensive end last season, and his base salary for 2016 is $500,000 less than defensive end Vinny Curry, who inked a five-year, $46.25 million contract last offseason. Graham, 29, is the 28th-highest-paid edge rusher in the NFL, on a per-year scale. Curry, who didn’t start last season despite his blockbuster deal, is 13th highest. Graham, reached via text message Wednesday, declined to address his potential holdout.

Well isn’t that nice. Brandon Graham is threatening to take himself hostage while the team has no ransom money for his release. And I get where he’s coming from with wanting more money. I’d be a little perturbed, too, if I were getting paid less of a base salary next season than Vinny freaking Curry – A man who is expected to fulfill his untapped potential any day now…even if it’s been 3+ years of waiting. But come on, 55. You just signed a contract 2-years ago and had just one above average season in 2017. I get that every NFL nerd statistician gives Brandon Graham rave reviews and balcuzzis based on the amount of pressure he puts on the QB. Still, 5.5 sacks ain’t Reggie White. If you want that straight cash homie – Don’t talk about it, be about it.

Again, I don’t blame Graham for taking this stance. There’s very little chance he holds out in training camp and into the season because I bet he indeed likes money and not giving it away in fines. He’s just letting the powers that be know how he feels. Quite frankly, there’s just no more money to go around. Maybe if the Eagles didn’t give Curry bananas money or pay Chase Daniel to hold a clipboard for the Saints, things would be different. As for now, Graham’s gotta get down, shut up, and sack.

UPDATE: Or not? I don’t even know anymore.