What?
New Orleans TE Jimmy Graham and 4th round pick TRADED to Seattle for C Max Unger and 1st round pick
Why?
The drama between Graham and the Saints over his worth, value, and even position he plays is now over. The amount of money spent on offense has really handcuffed the Saints front office from economically building their team in a balanced fashion. This will free up money to spend on defense. The overlooked part of this trade is the acquisition of the Pro Bowl center Unger. New Orleans has struggled along the interior of that line for two years now, and Unger will help solidify that pocket for the still-effective, but still-short Drew Brees.
Seattle could have used a red zone target like Graham on the final offensive play of their playoff run in February. This is a gutsy move for an offense that values the running game, as blocking has never been Graham’s strong suit. The creativity of that offensive can make this work, however. Graham’s overall production may take a hit, but watch what happens to Russell Wilson’s.
What’s next?
The Saints now have three draft picks within the top 44 overall. Sean Payton and company are on thin ice after losing their identity. They must us their newfound financial resources on bringing in established defensive talent and re-stock their offensive line and skill positions young talent.
The Seahawks will add a top tier weapon to an offense that can be very tough to defend. They appear to be all in on 2015, as spending will get tougher as they will start having to pay Wilson big time money in the near future. No draft picks until #63 overall hurts, but they’ve had great success in draft picks outside of round 1.
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