Seahawks Trade Max Unger To Saints For Jimmy Graham

With the official start of NFL free agency, all the talk right now is focused on who’s signing where and for how much. It’s easy to forget about another form of player movement during this time: trades. While we were focusing on the loss of Byron Maxwell and the addition of Will Blackmon, the Seattle Seahawks were cooking up something much larger on the other burner.

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Only this morning did we first hear the whispers that the New Orleans Saints were listening to offers on many of their players, including star tight end Jimmy Graham. Graham’s been one of the NFL’s premier tight ends for the last four years, and was just extended by the Saints a year ago. Within moments of his availability becoming public information, a viable suitor became known. And before we had any time to process any of this, the deal was reportedly done.

Jimmy Graham is a Seahawk. Max Unger is a Saint. How’s your Tuesday going?

This is a total blockbuster. The Seahawks swapped a Pro Bowl center for a Pro Bowl tight end, taking a three-round draft dive in the process. Graham wasn’t expected to become available, but as soon as he was the Seahawks pulled the trigger. They swapped some serious assets for the rights to Graham, who immediately becomes a key component of the ‘Hawks offense.

Graham’s cap hit is expected to be $8 million, versus $4.5 for Unger. The Seahawks spent some of their available cap space on this deal, then, while also trading down in the upcoming draft. The price is steep, but it’s hard not to notice that Graham is exactly the kind of player Seattle’s offense needs right now.

Last season Graham had 85 receptions for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns. The year before that? 86 receptions, 1,215 yards, 16 touchdowns. The two years before that are more of the same, and it’s not like he was a slouch in his 2010 rookie season or anything. Graham is a legitimate star, and he’s under contract for the next three years for a total of $25 million. As a pass-catcher, he’s untouchable. He’s absolutely Russell Wilson‘s top weapon now, as far as targets are concerned.

With Lynch and Graham in place for the next few years, the Seahawks are in a ridiculously good place. They’ve filled a big offensive hole, and can now just focus on adding linemen through the draft.

So, speaking of the draft… Seattle really doesn’t seem all too interested in the top of the charts, and that shouldn’t be too surprising given their history of late-round successes. The Seahawks have less use for a first-rounder than most teams, and this first-to-fourth drop shouldn’t really affect their strategy. They’ll target blocker-types, most likely, if not another wide receiver. John Schneider knows how to work the late rounds better than anyone. This is a safe gamble.

As for Unger, he will be missed. He was the team’s best option at center, though injuries slowed him in 2014. The backup options at center aren’t that enticing, and so presumably there’s some replacing to be done here, too. But the team can do without a star center, particularly if adding a star tight end was an option.

Jimmy Graham is a Seattle Seahawk. He’s the best target Russ’s ever had, and is a good bet to be the biggest addition the Seahawks make all offseason. Luke Willson‘s been relegated to a backup role, which is good news for a team that loves and values depth. Max Unger will be missed, but right now the big news is holy crap, Jimmy Graham. Welcome to Seattle. We’re really, really excited to have you.