Max Unger and 1st for Jimmy Graham and 4th round pick

[brimsalabim]

ok...but we just lost Crap and Unger so who will block? Jimmy doesn't block does he? Don't get me wrong I am interested to see how he and Russ work together.

 

[SonicHawk]

Cable will learn.

Flexibility is important. It's why NE has been successful for over a decade.

 

[chawx]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/575408173475061761[/tweet]

Gee, I wonder why they brought that up?

Every. Damn. Day. I have to re-live that $#!T in my head...

 

[kearly]

I really dont understand how anyone cannot like this trade. We get rid of a injury prone, dont even know why he was pro bowler Unger. Get an elite TE/receiver in return.

You might not want to assume that everyone was just stupid for voting for Unger. Our running game went from solid to unstoppable when he was in. Dude knew the calls and he knew his blocking.

The biggest question is, will Graham be worth losing our first-rounder AND resetting all Unger's experience (not a small thing at the center position)? I'm not worried about Bevell's competence with him, because I suspect a lot of reasons for Bevell's limitations were really personnel shortcomings (i.e. lack of speed and talent of just Graham's variety). They couldn't do much without those raw qualities, and now they can do more.

But Unger and a first? That's a big weight to balance out.

I'm not an Unger hater. Far from it. I thought he was robbed of a pro-bowl nod in 2011. When healthy, he is one of the better centers in the game and a great fit for Tom Cable.

That said, Seattle is a cap conscious team and Unger did not earn his money the last two seasons. The amount of injuries were beginning to reach the point of being alarming. And he's had a problem with shotgun snaps that continued even after his shoulder healed. IMO, Unger was on the precipe of being cut, if not this offseason then next offseason. Even before today I viewed Unger as a rental because his long term job security here was very much in doubt.

Had this trade been Unger for a 4th, I would have liked that deal too. It would have been similar in a lot of ways to the Mankins deal which looks good for NE in retrospect. But it's even better than that, because with Jimmy Graham coming back for so little, it's basically as if the Saints gave Seattle close to 1st round value for Unger. I'm not bashing Unger when I say this is a total homerun deal for Seattle value-wise.

 

[marko358]

2. Aforementioned scheme requires willing tight-end blockers. Graham isn't such a guy.

We still have McCoy and Willson on the roster. We can also pick up a blocking TE in the draft.

 

[FormerEvil]

This makes me happy:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300000 ... witter_atn

 

[Hasselbeck]

I really dont understand how anyone cannot like this trade. We get rid of a injury prone, dont even know why he was pro bowler Unger. Get an elite TE/receiver in return.

You might not want to assume that everyone was just stupid for voting for Unger. Our running game went from solid to unstoppable when he was in. Dude knew the calls and he knew his blocking.

The biggest question is, will Graham be worth losing our first-rounder AND resetting all Unger's experience (not a small thing at the center position)? I'm not worried about Bevell's competence with him, because I suspect a lot of reasons for Bevell's limitations were really personnel shortcomings (i.e. lack of speed and talent of just Graham's variety). They couldn't do much without those raw qualities, and now they can do more.

But Unger and a first? That's a big weight to balance out.

I'm not an Unger hater. Far from it. I thought he was robbed of a pro-bowl nod in 2011. When healthy, he is one of the better centers in the game and a great fit for Tom Cable.

That said, Seattle is a cap conscious team and Unger did not earn his money the last two seasons. The amount of injuries were beginning to reach the point of being alarming. And he's had a problem with shotgun snaps that continued even after his shoulder healed. IMO, Unger was on the precipe of being cut, if not this offseason then next offseason. Even before today I viewed Unger as a rental because his long term job security here was very much in doubt.

Had this trade been Unger for a 4th, I would have liked that deal too. But with Jimmy Graham coming back for so little, it's basically as if the Saints gave Seattle close to 1st round value for Unger. I'm not bashing Unger when I say this is a total homerun deal for Seattle value-wise.

The fact kearly and I see completely eye-to-eye on this trade makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

 

[pehawk]

I really dont understand how anyone cannot like this trade. We get rid of a injury prone, dont even know why he was pro bowler Unger. Get an elite TE/receiver in return.

You might not want to assume that everyone was just stupid for voting for Unger. Our running game went from solid to unstoppable when he was in. Dude knew the calls and he knew his blocking.

The biggest question is, will Graham be worth losing our first-rounder AND resetting all Unger's experience (not a small thing at the center position)? I'm not worried about Bevell's competence with him, because I suspect a lot of reasons for Bevell's limitations were really personnel shortcomings (i.e. lack of speed and talent of just Graham's variety). They couldn't do much without those raw qualities, and now they can do more.

But Unger and a first? That's a big weight to balance out.

2 things can be counted on. 1. Graham is good especially in the red zone. 2. Umger will miss time. I'mont sure why people are acting like Unger is someone who is always healthy. He missed 13 games the last 2 years.

Two reasons.

1. Centers are not replaceable. Not when they're running Tom Cable's zone-blocking scheme.

2. Aforementioned scheme requires willing tight-end blockers. Graham isn't such a guy.

Sooo, what are we to do then? Should I light my hair on fire and run around in circles, to accurately display my worry?

Fact is the OL will forever be a ragtag group of castoffs and first contract types under Pete and Cable now. That's just how it'll be. They'll leverage Cable and assume he'll make lemonade from chickenshit. So, yeah, be worried, but I'd save all your typed out OL posts somewhere...you can reuse them every offseason that way.

 

[kearly]

The fact kearly and I see completely eye-to-eye on this trade makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

I know, it's totally weird that we've agreed so much lately.

I'm fine with people having objections to this trade. It's complex and there are a lot of factors to consider. People who put more stock in softness and locker room chemistry will have reservations. I'm not saying they are wrong for thinking that way.

I just think that, in terms of fitting a dire need without a ton of options, it's completely insane how good of a value this trade turned out to be. It's not Marshawn for a 4th + 5th, but it's pretty damn good.

 

[ivotuk]

HATE it! Jimmy is soft. JS said a player has to be mentally tough to survive or locker room.

When will they learn and stop giving away first rounders for someone else's problems.

 

[LoneHawkFan]

I really dont understand how anyone cannot like this trade. We get rid of a injury prone, dont even know why he was pro bowler Unger. Get an elite TE/receiver in return.

You might not want to assume that everyone was just stupid for voting for Unger. Our running game went from solid to unstoppable when he was in. Dude knew the calls and he knew his blocking.

The biggest question is, will Graham be worth losing our first-rounder AND resetting all Unger's experience (not a small thing at the center position)? I'm not worried about Bevell's competence with him, because I suspect a lot of reasons for Bevell's limitations were really personnel shortcomings (i.e. lack of speed and talent of just Graham's variety). They couldn't do much without those raw qualities, and now they can do more.

But Unger and a first? That's a big weight to balance out.

2 things can be counted on. 1. Graham is good especially in the red zone. 2. Umger will miss time. I'mont sure why people are acting like Unger is someone who is always healthy. He missed 13 games the last 2 years.

Two reasons.

1. Centers are not replaceable. Not when they're running Tom Cable's zone-blocking scheme.

2. Aforementioned scheme requires willing tight-end blockers. Graham isn't such a guy.

You need to start thinking of Graham as a WR, not a TE.

 

[CPHawk]

HATE it! Jimmy is soft. JS said a player has to be mentally tough to survive or locker room.

When will they learn and stop giving away first rounders for someone else's problems.

He's soft because our D beat him up? The LoB would make Ditka look soft.

 

[SonicHawk]

HATE it! Jimmy is soft. JS said a player has to be mentally tough to survive or locker room.

When will they learn and stop giving away first rounders for someone else's problems.

I'm assuming this was a joke.

 

[scutterhawk]

Our offensive line just got much weaker and given Bevell's inability to consistently utilize a tight end we just tied up $10 million/year on a player who will catch 50 passes a season max.

I think you're being pretty generous with that number. I absolutely HATE this trade.

Let's face it, no one in here actually knows how many catches that Graham will get.
He was Drew Brees' #1 relief guy, and will become Wilson's #1 relief valve, which has been a missing piece for a loooong time.
Let's consider this Trade we did for Graham...Thomas' name was the only one that's been bouncing around here for the last Week, and EVERYBODY wanted to get him here to fill in a long missing piece to the Offense, right?
Well, and I know that some won't agree, but as I see it, Graham is a big upgrade to Thomas, AND will help open up the Offense for Wilson, along with the others that are trying to move the ball.
I only hope that John Schneider will go after a big WR early in this Draft, and I think we could be set there.
The lack of Continuity on the O-Line is, and has been a concern of mine, so I'm hoping that this issue will be addressed in this Draft also.

 

[scutterhawk]

HATE it! Jimmy is soft. JS said a player has to be mentally tough to survive or locker room.

When will they learn and stop giving away first rounders for someone else's problems.

I'm assuming this was a joke.

I know I got a laugh out of it :lol:

 

[chawx]

Our backups have performed pretty well when he's been out.

No, they haven't. I don't care if we've won games without him, the screaming on this forum over pass protection has been dreadful and the relief apparent when Unger's out. Don't suddenly rewrite history there. Patrick Lewis is actively awful.

Montana—Look at it this way, pass pro had been awful. How much of that was on Unger and Carp? (that's not a rhetorical question, I really want to see stats on how good we were in pass pro with those two on the field) My "eye test" tends to think that we've been bad on pass pro regardless of who has been on that line. What games have you watched where it felt like we completely dominated against a good pass-rush team since Unger and Carp have been here? I'm going to say it's close to 0 or 0.5 teams.

Maybe Pete realized we were running this offense through mud and that the scheme moreso than Unger and Carps raw talent were holding this patchwork group together. Does this trade address the fact that Seattle needs to get better upfront? NO. Does it help that cause? NO. Is there still months worth of time to get someone in Seattle who CAN fix/help it? YES. Is there money for that guy? Of course, because we got a STEAL with this trade.

Seriously, there's really NOTHING to hate about this trade. Have some kool-aid and enjoy the show, broseph!
:179422:

 

[Snakeeyes007]

Hmm. A Pro Bowl center and a first round pick for this guy and a fourth? What's not to love?

In retrospect, I'm now thankful he 'made a business' decision in not taking on Kam on this play. That may have ended his career in a similar way Kam 'ended' Vernon Davis's career, then we wouldn't have been able to make this trade to improve our passing game! :snack:

 

[Hawkfan77]

HATE it! Jimmy is soft. JS said a player has to be mentally tough to survive or locker room.

When will they learn and stop giving away first rounders for someone else's problems.

I'm assuming this was a joke.

I hope so.

I think its funny how every player that's not a Seahawks is labeled soft by Hawk fans

 

[TDOTSEAHAWK]

Put me firmly into the I love this trade camp.

We needed a weapon badly and there wasn't much out there who could legitimately make an impact. Moreover, the draft sucks for TEs and the FA market is tepid for WRs (most are old etc.) Jimmy Graham is unique - without a doubt - and can make an immediate impact.

Unger is a small blow but he isn't the All-Pro caliber player he once was and has missed 13 games the last two years. Not what you want from a center you are paying $4.5 million to. Besides that is WAY too much for a C. We should be able to find a starting center in the mid-rounds. I am not a big fan of paying guards and centers a lot of money. They need to be relatively cheap positions.

 

[CPHawk]

We now have the top RB and top TE in the NFL, what's not to like here?