Graham to Seattle.

[WizardHawk]

Losing the late first round pick can be big, but Seattle does get 4 compensatory picks this year so they have a lot of mid round picks to find something worth keeping and a track record of finding gold in those rounds.

Graham gives them what they were missing in the passing game. Giving up Unger might be a high price, but he has missed a LOT of games over the last couple of years and the hawks got by in his absence. Losing Carpenter as well gives them a need to pick up at least a couple of inside o line. No easy task given how few quality players there are in the league on those lines.

Still, which is easier to find or at least make due without? A true go to offensive threat or solid blockers on your line?

 

[Gooch1034]

Any chance they could try for a better wr to make defenses think twice about loading up on Graham? I don't know what cap room they have left but maybe go for Mike Wallace since he should be good and cheap?

 

[WizardHawk]

Any chance they could try for a better wr to make defenses think twice about loading up on Graham? I don't know what cap room they have left but maybe go for Mike Wallace since he should be good and cheap?

Hawks have way too many other things they need to do. This was a reach as it is. They have two studs they need to lock up and Wilson's won't come cheap.

Seattle is going to bank that one of their younger WR's will pop this year and add more spark. In the meantime, they have two other guys out there that Wilson is very comfortable with and don't forget that Lynch actually is a good receiver in his own right.

 

[Gooch1034]

Hawks have way too many other things they need to do. This was a reach as it is. They have two studs they need to lock up and Wilson's won't come cheap.

Seattle is going to bank that one of their younger WR's will pop this year and add more spark. In the meantime, they have two other guys out there that Wilson is very comfortable with and don't forget that Lynch actually is a good receiver in his own right.

I didn't even think about Lynch and his recieving but you are right. Graham may be the key to helping one those wrs to breakout too? The first thing I thought of when I heard they grabbed Graham was how he could benefit Lynch by stretching defenses on run plays.

 

[jakedog56]

GnG cracks me up!

His "logic" is that the Saints "won" the trade according to his "analysis" because Graham is oft-injured. It is then pointed out that Graham has missed only 2 games in 5 years while Unger has missed 33, but GnG just ignores this and keeps on rambling. He then tracks down a 3 month old article from a site no one has ever heard of with some vague reference to shoulder surgery.

He then states that he does not hate the Seahawks and repeats this sentiment over and over despite the fact that every single Seattle related post he has ever made on these boards has been completely negative.

He then says that Seahawks' fans are whining for pointing these things out!!

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but to insist on justifying it without any logic is just plain baffling !

Hilarious stuff son! Thanks for the laughs!

 

[jakedog56]

Not to mention the other Seahawk hater who does nothing but run his mouth negative, Azdbacksaz, who pipes in every page or so to remind us that the Cards won 11 games last year without a QB (how many without Palmer again?) and state that the Cards should win the division if they get AP.

Way to stay on topic AZ!

I seem to remember Larry Foote getting eaten alive by Seattle's TEs last year. You had better pray that your management has a plan for an upgrade there!

Once again, thanks for the laughs! You guys are hilarious !

 

[JMR]

Any chance they could try for a better wr to make defenses think twice about loading up on Graham? I don't know what cap room they have left but maybe go for Mike Wallace since he should be good and cheap?

I really doubt it. I think Graham upgrades the passing game enough that they'll roll into the season with the personnel they now have at WR/TE. Paul Richardson was a 2nd round WR last year and started to come on fairly well before hurting a knee in the playoffs. He'll probably start the year on the pup, but I firmly believe the FO views him as the outside speed guy to complement Graham's game.

 

[David_son]

Probably has already been said but they lost two starting OLineman. Who will block or Beast Mode or give Wilson time to throw he cant run around forever

 

[flyerhawk]

Probably has already been said but they lost two starting OLineman. Who will block or Beast Mode or give Wilson time to throw he cant run around forever

Well one of them only started 6 games. The other didn't do a whole lot of blocking for Wilson, although he was pretty good at run blocking.

The Seahawks OL is arguably the weakest aspect to the team. Replacing them really shouldn't be that hard. Only one player on the line had a positive grade at PFF(Unger) and he only played a 3rd of the season.

 

[David_son]

Well one of them only started 6 games. The other didn't do a whole lot of blocking for Wilson, although he was pretty good at run blocking.

The Seahawks OL is arguably the weakest aspect to the team. Replacing them really shouldn't be that hard. Only one player on the line had a positive grade at PFF(Unger) and he only played a 3rd of the season.

He was still a pro bowl player and center is one of the more important positions but every coach has positions the priorities and OLine might not be something Carroll likes to invest big in we will see though. I know the Bills OLine wasn't very good when he was there and he had decent production but not anything like has had in Seattle, but a lot might have gone into that besides just no OLine.

 

[JMR]

The line has been a patchwork unit the last 2 years, and both Carpenter and Unger have missed lots of time. Replacing them is not unfamiliar territory. Some work to do, acknowledged, but this muscle has been exercised a lot.

 

[SonnyCID]

He was still a pro bowl player and center is one of the more important positions but every coach has positions the priorities and OLine might not be something Carroll likes to invest big in we will see though. I know the Bills OLine wasn't very good when he was there and he had decent production but not anything like has had in Seattle, but a lot might have gone into that besides just no OLine.

The Hawks won a higher % of games without Unger (8-2), than they won with him (4-2). And Carp? Now that he got a contract, I bet he shows up at Jets camp 40 lbs over weight.

 

[PatsFan2003]

Graham is a great security blanket for any QB particularly in the Red Zone. It's a great move for Seattle. They have enough depth for give up the pick.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

This thread needs to die.

If everyone stays healthy both teams win. Seattle gets the top 2 TE in the league, Saints get an all pro center (Unger was back in 2012 I believe). Seattle profits with Graham more than Unger because of Wilson's mobility and Lynch. New Orleans profits with Unger more than Graham because Brees just needs time to find anyone.

Seattle has to trade a bit more because Unger has been injured more than Graham and receiving weapons are sorely needed on their team as collectively they are IMO the worst in the league, maybe only rivaled by Jacksonville prior to the Thomas trade.

Now everyone stfu about who won it. Jesus.

 

[WizardHawk]

I didn't even think about Lynch and his recieving but you are right. Graham may be the key to helping one those wrs to breakout too? The first thing I thought of when I heard they grabbed Graham was how he could benefit Lynch by stretching defenses on run plays.

The other misconception about this trade is that Seattle will use Graham in single tight end sets. While that may happen, it won't be the normal set. They have a couple of younger TE's that have been working on blocking and Luke Willson particularly showed signs of progress in that area last year.

Seattle is almost surely going to spend most of their time in 12 personnel (how fitting is that?). Doesn't matter if Graham actually sets on the line or in the slot, either way he's a receiver first. Willson will get most of the TE blocking duties. Having them both out there should present all kinds of match up nightmares for the other team. If you bracket Graham on one side, Willson could easily slip out the other seam and has shown the ability to catch and run as well.

As for his impact on the running game, it will depend on where he lines up and what set the defense is in. If he's getting a LB on him and it's a run play there is no doubt it has impact on that play, or at least the potential.

A lot has been made about the impact of Unger on the running game and what his loss brings. The facts are that they ran for 1.2y/carry more with him in than with him out last year. However even if Patrick Lewis got most of those snaps in Ungers absence last year and he's your opening day center this year, expecting the same results is sort of dumb. There is almost always some amount of drop off going to any backup at any position. These guys have to practice a lot as a unit to be on the same page. Giving him the entire off season and all the way through preseason to gel would almost surely bring his game up.

But to suggest that Seattle is now done with what they are going to do with that line would also suggest people aren't paying attention. Let's wait and see who their starting 5 is at the end of preseason before we finalize judgement on sending Unger away. And the ultimate judgement may not come until the end of next season when we see if Unger actually plays in 16 games at a high level for the Saints.

 

[TKOSpikes]

LOL!!!

Google Ashley-Ann Jimmy Graham and watch the video!!

(Sorry I can't put the link up on my phone)

 

[purguy12]

Didn't they lose 3 starting OLmen(I might be Wrong). That was their weakness last year and now its really a weakness. Overall I think they struggle first few weeks just like this year but overall will be fine. Plus maybe they draft a OL that can step in.

 

[BHF]

Didn't they lose 3 starting OLmen(I might be Wrong). That was their weakness last year and now its really a weakness. Overall I think they struggle first few weeks just like this year but overall will be fine. Plus maybe they draft a OL that can step in.

Two. One is always hurt and the other was holding onto the starting spot by his finger nails (or, if you prefer, by default). No question the Hawks need to improve their OL, but that was the situation before the trade as well.

 

[purguy12]

Gotcha, Overall u guys made out and u guys will be fine.

 

[Uhsplit]

Didn't they lose 3 starting OLmen(I might be Wrong). That was their weakness last year and now its really a weakness. Overall I think they struggle first few weeks just like this year but overall will be fine. Plus maybe they draft a OL that can step in.

We lost 2, Carpenter and Unger.
Yes, our OL was probably the weakest position group on the team.
Weakest link on the OL was Carpenter, our former 1st round pick. Seattle elected not to exercise it's 5th year option on him, so it was looking like he was going to be replaced this year anyway.
Our 2 best O linemen are Unger and Okung. Both are injury prone to a high degree. Last 2 years Okung missed 10 games, Unger missed 13 games. The 2 best missed 23 games combined over 2 years. How is that for continuity?
I expect Seattle will add depth with probably 2 draft picks and /or a low cost FA to the OL.