$9m saving if we cut Jimmy Graham

[TeamoftheCentury]

If JG had a bad attitude or was a cancer to the team, the cap savings would be more worth recouping. But, otherwise, I see no reason to let go of a proven low risk, high reward player at this juncture. It would be premature to assess his value to this team after this one season when there were other weird issues going on with the club. The offense was sort of in a state of flux. Try being a new player trying to fit in to a new team, new scheme.

They entered into his contract with a plan and I assume they're sticking to that for at least the upcoming season. They're potentially way better off to work on increasing his effectiveness and production. If they do otherwise, I'll be surprised.

Didn't someone say something about the possibility of re-structuring his contract?

 

[therealjohncarlson]

Make him a WR

This is what he did with the Saints 80% of the time and it worked. It's not rocket science. We need to stop trying to re-invent the wheel and just look at what worked in the past.

 

[TeamoftheCentury]

I don't think they'll be able to cut him because of his injury. He won't be ready before the season starts and I doubt he would take an injury settlement. The Seahawks will get what they can from him in the second half of next season and see where it can go from there.

Sounds about right. Is there confirmation that he won't be ready for the start of the season?

 

[sutz]

Why in the hell would they get rid of Graham? Make no sense to get rid of one of the best TE in the game. Him and Wilson will be fine.

They have 9 million reasons to get rid of a potentially catastrophically injured player.

Is he a TE, and is he going to be healthy?
Both legit questions.

Well, the health question is the important one. IMO, if he's healthy you keep him and play him.

As to TE/WR, that was a technical question back when he was negotiating with NO. WR tend to make better money, so Graham wanted to be signed at those rates. The team wanted to keep him labeled as a TE, in case they had to tag him IIRC (did they actually tag him?). I don't think it matters much now, he's already under contract. Maybe at his next contract negotiation (if it happens) it will come up again, but I say let that one lie.

I don't think the money is a big issue, unless his injury lingers and hurts his production.

 

[WindCityHawk]

I would LOVE if they just converted him to WR. Simplify the whole process.

 

[Missing_Clink]

Everyone on here seems to assume he will be back to the old Jimmy once he gets back on the field. That's not even close to a foregone conclusion when you are talking about a torn patellar tendon. It's a terrible injury. Ask Victor Cruz what the recovery is like. He still hasn't played a down since he tore his in 2014. Jimmy may not even be good anymore. He may just be a really tall, slow guy.

 

[sutz]

Everyone on here seems to assume he will be back to the old Jimmy once he gets back on the field. That's not even close to a foregone conclusion when you are talking about a torn patellar tendon. It's a terrible injury. Ask Victor Cruz what the recovery is like. He still hasn't played a down since he tore his in 2014. Jimmy may not even be good anymore. He may just be a really tall, slow guy.

There is that. But that would be an injury settlement, not outright cutting him. As I said above, if he comes back healthy I think we pay him and play him.

 

[London12]

So we're moving to a passing offense and we cut one of our main weapons. I'm really glad you guys don't run the team.



Just make him a WR though.

 

[Sports Hernia]

must be nice to just throw away a 1st round pick after one year

First round pick and a good offensive lineman, ostensibly to have money to get an offensive lineman.

I don't really think cutting Graham makes much sense, nor do I think trading him makes much sense.

This is particularly true if the team continues moving more to a spread formation, in which Graham is more useful.

I don't agree with you often but this is one of those rare times. Good points.

 

[2_0_6]

If he is cut, the last thing we need is him going to the Cards or Rams. Id like to keep him

 

[kidhawk]

On the face, it doesn't make sense to move on from Jimmy -- but cap space is going to be pretty limited even after we let go of Marshawn. With 3 other starters on offense free agents, the team may need to make a choice to fill other holes and let go of Graham.

In the end I think he stays, but I'm only about 87% sure.

There's really no need to be rid of Graham to get cap savings. We can restructure his contract and get a large chunk of the $9 million back and spread out over a few years by doing this.

 

[Optimus25]

If he is cut, the last thing we need is him going to the Cards or Rams. Id like to keep him

This is a great point. Like new York releasing Jones after they already knew nelson and cobb were hurt.

If new York won a few more games and was competing for a wild card, they'd be kicking their own ass over that one.

Jones saved green bay time and again all year long.

 

[Mistashoesta]

Why in the world would you want to release arguably the best tight end in the game? There are surely other ways to acquire quality offensive linemen that don't require you take away one of your greatest receiving options. Asinine.

 

[johnnyfever]

Everyone on here seems to assume he will be back to the old Jimmy once he gets back on the field. That's not even close to a foregone conclusion when you are talking about a torn patellar tendon. It's a terrible injury. Ask Victor Cruz what the recovery is like. He still hasn't played a down since he tore his in 2014. Jimmy may not even be good anymore. He may just be a really tall, slow guy.

This exactly. I don't know what the chances of full recovery in a year are, but I would bet it is less than 50%. He is a great player with a good attitude. From all indications he loved the team and coaches and they loved him. I think we give him every chance to get back, but if the injury has changed his game, the coaches will move on. My best guess is that he gets traded before the deadline next season. Cutting him injured with injury settlements etc is something I don't know all the rules on, so someone else can take that baton.

 

[Silver Hawk]

Kind of interesting that some think that Jimmy is now damaged goods but that he can be traded. The same people probably also think he can be traded for a first round draft pick.

If Jimmy is healthy, I want him as a Seahawk.

 

[kearly]

The only way they cut him is if they are very desperate for money or if they are bearish on his recovery.

And I doubt the second happens, because it's very hard to say what Graham's recovery might look like. There are only about 2-3 of these injuries a year league wide on average, so the sample size to go from is very small compared to ACL. And as far as I know, there has never been a 6'6" uber athletic TE with any kind of real production to have this injury before. Nobody really knows how Graham will recover, but it's worth noting that some players have bounced back from it, such as cornerback Nate Allen. Some haven't, but it's not a death sentence.

Here's something to keep in mind about Graham's value. Graham for his career has been very good against Carolina, in fact his game against Carolina with Seattle earlier this season was his career best against the Panthers. Since Graham's breakout season in 2011, he's totaled a line of 63 catches for 793 yards and 7 TDs over 9 games vs. Carolina.

Prorate those numbers over 16 games and you get the following line: 112 catches, 1403 yards, 12 TDs. Which is to say that when Graham is facing the Panthers, it's like adding an MVP candidate to your offense. And with Carolina lording over a terrible division, it seems likely that Seattle will continue to face them 1-2 times every year in games with huge implications, so this is pretty important.

And for as good as Seattle's weapons have become, Graham provided the team their only big target. Finding a big target has been a goal for Pete all along, from BMW to Sidney Rice to Braylon Edwards to Chris Matthews. It's an area that matters to Pete (as evidenced by him paying top dollar for Sidney Rice and Zach Miller for 3 seasons).

Graham didn't fit the Seahawks when he first came here, when they were the truest of run first teams. But now that Seattle is so spread heavy and dependent on the pass, his acquisition seems like it was looking to the future all along. It's just too bad about that damn knee.

 

[gmor]

Three yards and a bunch of dust isn't the system he's meant to play in. If we change to a more downfield oriented team, he will emerge. Keep him.

 

[jammerhawk]

The only way they cut him is if they are very desperate for money or if they are bearish on his recovery.

And I doubt the second happens, because it's very hard to say what Graham's recovery might look like. There are only about 2-3 of these injuries a year league wide on average, so the sample size to go from is very small compared to ACL. And as far as I know, there has never been a 6'6" uber athletic TE with any kind of real production to have this injury before. Nobody really knows how Graham will recover, but it's worth noting that some players have bounced back from it, such as cornerback Nate Allen. Some haven't, but it's not a death sentence.

Here's something to keep in mind about Graham's value. Graham for his career has been very good against Carolina, in fact his game against Carolina with Seattle earlier this season was his career best against the Panthers. Since Graham's breakout season in 2011, he's totaled a line of 63 catches for 793 yards and 7 TDs over 9 games vs. Carolina.

Prorate those numbers over 16 games and you get the following line: 112 catches, 1403 yards, 12 TDs. Which is to say that when Graham is facing the Panthers, it's like adding an MVP candidate to your offense. And with Carolina lording over a terrible division, it seems likely that Seattle will continue to face them 1-2 times every year in games with huge implications, so this is pretty important.

And for as good as Seattle's weapons have become, Graham provided the team their only big target. Finding a big target has been a goal for Pete all along, from BMW to Sidney Rice to Braylon Edwards to Chris Matthews. It's an area that matters to Pete (as evidenced by him paying top dollar for Sidney Rice and Zach Miller for 3 seasons).

Graham didn't fit the Seahawks when he first came here, when they were the truest of run first teams. But now that Seattle is so spread heavy and dependent on the pass, his acquisition seems like it was looking to the future all along. It's just too bad about that damn knee.

Totally agree with this whole post.

I just can't see the team parting with a perennial Pro Bowl quality TE, and if the money is problematic the team could restructure. My suspicion is that in his second year here and with a familiarity with RW Graham is going to be huge piece of the passing offence going forward. The $9 Mil will come a large part from Lynch who I can see being moved out.

I'm really curious why some here seem to dislike Graham but give Chancellor a pass when Graham bought in to team all season long. Chancellor on the other hand was into himself over the team when he was being paid top 3 money for a SS. As time goes on we all can see the lapses in Chancellors coverage ability and what look to be declining skills.

 

[TDOTSEAHAWK]

This is somewhat moot as you can't just cut him while he is injured anyway.

You have to wait until he is cleared to play football to cut him. So he gets paid in full regardless.

So, considering this, it makes sense to support him in good faith during his recovery and get him back to health and see how he plays. If he is Jimmy Graham - great. If not, ride out the season and cut him next offseason as he would still be better than some scrub off the street at TE/WR and we'd have to take the cap hit anyway if the season has started.

 

[chiltech500]

Great thread. Many valid points. I'm not sure he played at the same level since his shoulder injury at New Orleans (2013?) where he missed part of the season . Who knows with his knee. What if he can't be really productive until 2016 season?