Julius Thomas has said that Jimmy Graham's pay should not be determined by whether he plays as a tight end or a wide receiver.

The New Orleans Saints player has filed a grievance against the team after being placed under the franchise tag as a tight end, despite taking a high proportion of snaps as a wide receiver in 2013.

The Denver Broncos tight end told reporters: "Does it matter if he's a tight end, or if he calls himself a slot receiver or a running back? I mean, if you're going to have double-digit touchdowns and contribute a bunch of yards in the receiving game, I just say that you're a guy that makes great plays and are a value to your team.

"So I don't know why the argument necessarily comes down to either you're a tight end or a receiver. I think that if you're a guy that makes plays, that's how you should be valued."

Thomas, who had 788 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns last season, is heading into the final year of his rookie contract with the Broncos.