Let the last minute negotiating begin in earnest.
The Saints have less than 24 hours to sign franchised tight end Jimmy Graham to a long-term contract, and now comes another curve.
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Graham filed an appeal the ruling that he was a tight end and not a receiver for the purpose of the franchise tag.
Today was the deadline to appeal the ruling that cost him $5 million, the difference in one-year offers for receivers vs. tight ends.
A day ago, the appeal was deemed unlikely, which certainly creates the impression of a ploy toward a new contract than a desire to put the issue before a three-man appeals board.