Is there a reason they could not try Graham out as a WR?

[Siouxhawk]

He's contributing mightily and will continue to be a big part of our offense going forward.

He has 9 total yards in 2 games

Yes, 2 games. Not panic worthy.

 

[The Breh]

Or maybe it's just lazy armchair quarterback analysis that's on the repiticiously stupid side. I'm not saying he won't ever be split outside, but his size and versatility require him to pass protect too to make up for the inadiquacies of our line at times.

That's just nonsense. If he was split out at WR and occupied that spot we could bring in a blocking TE and not have Graham worry about it.

Or did I miss the chart that stipulates if you're over a certain size you HAVE to pass protect?

That was the precise reason they drafted Vannett.
I can't comprehend.

So you comprehend we take PRich out to get Jimmy in? What's your percentage of him taking those snaps from him? 60%? 80%? 100%?

Gotta be PRich every time ?
Not Doug for a snap or two ?
Throw Lockett and PRich on opposing sides (our 2 fastest guys) to open shit up, with Jimmy somewhere and Vannett or a FB to do the blocking and a tailback ?
What's the issue with that 11 ?

 

[JGfromtheNW]

There are a ton of ways we could use Jimmy and that includes bringing him in as a WR. I don't know why we haven't tried splitting him out at the X or using him in the slot for cleaner releases... nope, we just keep using him in-line and ask him to play to his weaknesses.

It boggles the mind.

 

[mistaowen]

Didn't make your point at all. Losing? You must have your satellite mistakenly dialed into the Bears network because the Hawks I know have won more than any other NFC team the last 5 years.

Sadly the winning record has come more from the reality the team has an exceptional D rather than from the excellence of the O.

I still believe that while Bevell is a creative OC he struggles to effectively use TEs, and can be shown to go away from their use even when they are working.

This is the point I make every time. "They've won so much under PC!" Yes, in large part due to having the leading scoring defense every year. The offense hasn't needed to win shootouts because the defense keeps them in every game. In the rare cases they can't, historically the Seahawks lose.

The best teams evolve as other teams learn their weaknesses. This offense paid for a TE who skews way closer to a WR and wants to use him as Zach Miller. He was supposed to be a fix to red zone problems but the red zone success has gotten worse because he isn't put in winnable situations.

 

[Siouxhawk]

That's just nonsense. If he was split out at WR and occupied that spot we could bring in a blocking TE and not have Graham worry about it.

Or did I miss the chart that stipulates if you're over a certain size you HAVE to pass protect?

That was the precise reason they drafted Vannett.
I can't comprehend.

So you comprehend we take PRich out to get Jimmy in? What's your percentage of him taking those snaps from him? 60%? 80%? 100%?

Gotta be PRich every time ?
Not Doug for a snap or two ?
Throw Lockett and PRich on opposing sides (our 2 fastest guys) to open shit up, with Jimmy somewhere and Vannett or a FB to do the blocking and a tailback ?
What's the issue with that 11 ?

I wouldn't be surprised if that could happen.
Consider this, when healthy, Jimmy has the most snaps of anyone other than the linemen, Russ and maybe Doug. There must be a reason for that. Could he be on the field as long playing a WR role?

Maybe it's something as basic as he's the best blocker between Willson, Vannett or any of the backs. They're not going to tip their hand.

 

[XxXdragonXxX]

We traded a 1st round pick for a guy that was split out wide so often in New Orleans that he argued he should be paid as a WR, and tried to make him a blocking TE.

Bevell sees nothing wrong with this idea. Just as he sees no problem with using nothing but long developing pass routes with no outlets, no RBs slipping into the flat, etc. When your OL cant hold a block longer than 1.5 seconds.

But hey we've taken one of the best defenses in NFL history and turned them into a barely winning in the playoffs team. So great.

 

[ducks41468]

He's listed as a tight end on the depth chart and by gum we're gonna use him as a tight end, not some glory boy wide receiver or any of this newfangled "pass-catching tight end" mumbojumbo. Ha-rumph.

 

[Siouxhawk]

We traded a 1st round pick for a guy that was split out wide so often in New Orleans that he argued he should be paid as a WR, and tried to make him a blocking TE.

Bevell sees nothing wrong with this idea. Just as he sees no problem with using nothing but long developing pass routes with no outlets, no RBs slipping into the flat, etc. When your OL cant hold a block longer than 1.5 seconds.

Meet the Seahawks and direct your complaints to Pete as that's his vision and his coordinators work within that framework to see it through. Put it this way, Jimmy still has a better chance of getting a ring in this system than he ever would in New Ofleans. I'm sure that's more important to him.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

We do split Graham out wide...............look, there he is..............out wide.




If you're talking about like, full time? Then no, that doesn't work. There's no such thing as a 6'7" 270 lb WR, too slow and Graham's terrible at running most WR routes. Crisp precise route running is not his strong suit, which you need from a split end WR.

He prefers to slowly lumber and meander out into his routes as to give the defense plenty of time to bracket him. That's his jam.

 

[Sports Hernia]

The problem is the dunderhead that is the OC is not smart enough to figure how to use their biggest weapon.

 

[BigBill1945]

If we continue to use him at TE perhaps we use him more on 3rd down situations and use the blocking TE for the first 2 downs. PC's offense wants to rely more on the run. We can also use him on special situations but we do not want to telegraph our moves by only putting him in on 3rd down. I think the defenses we face will dictate how we use him. I am not advocating using him at the expense of our other WRs but using him in special situations. It seems that Russell is trying too hard to get the ball to him and it has not worked for a variety of reasons. Not going to play the blame game. We all know our weaknesses and it becomes more evident with our use of him. He is a great weapon. I hope Bevel can figure out how to take best advantage of his skills.

 

[Siouxhawk]

The problem is the dunderhead that is the OC is not smart enough to figure how to use their biggest weapon.

If a scapegoat makes you feel better, jabber away. I appreciated the win and understand what Bevell brings to the team.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Well, we are not coaches etc. But it seems from a fan side of things that it is a no brainer to put him at WR.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

If we continue to use him at TE perhaps we use him more on 3rd down situations and use the blocking TE for the first 2 downs. PC's offense wants to rely more on the run. We can also use him on special situations but we do not want to telegraph our moves by only putting him in on 3rd down. I think the defenses we face will dictate how we use him. I am not advocating using him at the expense of our other WRs but using him in special situations. It seems that Russell is trying too hard to get the ball to him and it has not worked for a variety of reasons. Not going to play the blame game. We all know our weaknesses and it becomes more evident with our use of him. He is a great weapon. I hope Bevel can figure out how to take best advantage of his skills.

I kind of agree with you.

But the other part of me says why is Graham even on the team for 10M a year if we're only going to use him on obvious passing downs?

My solution is simple with Graham, throw him the ball early and often at the beginning of games to get him engaged and fired up.

His problem is it's midway through the 2nd quarter and he still doesn't have a target, so he starts moping out into his routes cause he's frustrated. So first series, just slant him out and get him the ball. Even if it's a one yard game, I don't care, he's now engaged in what we're doing.

With Graham it's a total confidence engaged thing. When he's fired up and engaged, he plays well...............when he doesn't get the ball or gets frustrated, he regresses into his mope shell.

 

[CodeWarrior]

Mike Williams was 6'5 245lb and he played decently well in this offense. Jimmy could fill a role like that, at least part time.

Pete is tremendous at adapting the defense to the strengths of the personnel. Just look at Chancellor. With the offense, he's not as adept. I just don't see the logic underpinning the construction nor game plan of that unit.

 

[BigBill1945]

If we continue to use him at TE perhaps we use him more on 3rd down situations and use the blocking TE for the first 2 downs. PC's offense wants to rely more on the run. We can also use him on special situations but we do not want to telegraph our moves by only putting him in on 3rd down. I think the defenses we face will dictate how we use him. I am not advocating using him at the expense of our other WRs but using him in special situations. It seems that Russell is trying too hard to get the ball to him and it has not worked for a variety of reasons. Not going to play the blame game. We all know our weaknesses and it becomes more evident with our use of him. He is a great weapon. I hope Bevel can figure out how to take best advantage of his skills.

I kind of agree with you.

But the other part of me says why is Graham even on the team for 10M a year if we're only going to use him on obvious passing downs?

My solution is simple with Graham, throw him the ball early and often at the beginning of games to get him engaged and fired up.

His problem is it's midway through the 2nd quarter and he still doesn't have a target, so he starts moping out into his routes cause he's frustrated. So first series, just slant him out and get him the ball. Even if it's a one yard game, I don't care, he's now engaged in what we're doing.

With Graham it's a total confidence engaged thing. When he's fired up and engaged, he plays well...............when he doesn't get the ball or gets frustrated, he regresses into his mope shell.

I totally agree with your point on obvious passing downs. I do not want us to be predictable. I do ,however, want to exploit his strengths but no make it so obvious that we become predictable. I think we need to experiment a little on our use of him and not expect him to be used as a typical blocking tight end. New Orleans managed to do this. We are not New Orleans but quick passes to him are probably going to work best as Russell does not always have the time to do much else. Just sayin'

 

[scrummymustard]

Full time? No, but it should be more than he is now.

In 4 wide WR sets with no TE, there is no reason Tanner should be in there and Graham on the sideline. Happened several times last game.

In the RZ? Absolutely. Get him off the line as much as possible.

 

[pmedic920]

Then he'd want to restructure for WR money.

 

[KitsapGuy]

Then he'd want to restructure for WR money.

And wasn't there a big issue with that when he was in NO? I think that was part of his issue with them dealing him to us. Using him as a WR but wanting to pay him TE money.

 

[edogg23]

Its much better to use him as a safety valve standing in the backfield so he can use his amazing shiftiness and speed to make people miss and gain yards.... Oh wait Bevell is the only person dumb enough to think that would actually be a good use of his talent.