Will Jimmy Graham ask for a trade?

[Siouxhawk]

Hyperbole to the max.
None of this that you envision is going on. So I'd take that bet in an instant.

In the real world, the staff will meet to review the season and personnel and the players will clear out their lockers and begin making plans that millionaires make for the offseason.

Perhaps Cable gets the Santa Clara job, but other than that it will be business as usual heading into free agency, the draft and OTAs. The same faces will be back on the sidelines next season, as they should, and we begin our pursuit of another title again as the favorite to win the NFC West.

 

[nash72]

Hyperbole to the max.
None of this that you envision is going on. So I'd take that bet in an instant.

In the real world, the staff will meet to review the season and personnel and the players will clear out their lockers and begin making plans that millionaires make for the offseason.

Perhaps Cable gets the Santa Clara job, but other than that it will be business as usual heading into free agency, the draft and OTAs. The same faces will be back on the sidelines next season, as they should, and we begin our pursuit of another title again as the favorite to win the NFC West.

Lord what a depressing thought.

As for Graham and his chances of maybe becoming a HOF tight end, well he can kiss that jacket goodbye if he stays here. People stating he set franchise records for the TE position just shows me how sad that position has been for this franchise. In all honesty, it was his second worst season of his career besides his rookie season and of course last season when he was hurt. When Graham is on the sidelines ranting like he has this past season, he's not over there giving props to the great gameplan. If there isnt a change soon, he'll get frustrated and leave and not one person could blame him for it.

 

[bigskydoc]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/thejimmygraham/status/820679221311729665[/tweet]

 

[semiahmoo]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/thejimmygraham/status/820679221311729665[/tweet]

JG is a class act.

RW needs to help keep him here and the team needs to figure out how to better utilize his incredible talent.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

I still believe that firing Bevell, even as a gesture, would send a clear message to the whole organization that if you don't perform to championship standards, you will not be part of this team.

Unfairly or not, he should have been sacked after XLIX, just to send that message.

You really should read what you just wrote again, very carefully.

A team that participates in the Super Bowl is performing to championship standards.

 

[semiahmoo]

I still believe that firing Bevell, even as a gesture, would send a clear message to the whole organization that if you don't perform to championship standards, you will not be part of this team.

Unfairly or not, he should have been sacked after XLIX, just to send that message.

You really should read what you just wrote again, very carefully.

A team that participates in the Super Bowl is performing to championship standards.

And a team that wins the Super Bowl is a champion.

 

[seahawkfreak]

A cursory search brought up these results regarding why Graham was brought on board.

Here, Carroll talks specifically about Graham's ability to catch passes in crowds and put up points.

http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/...roll-on-jimmy-graham-marshawn-lynch-and-more/

"It’s pretty clear, he’s a big receiver, plays big, makes plays in a crowd, makes plays on top of guys, he’s a very effective player in the red zone, he has been a terrific, consistent scorer..."

Here, at 1:21, Schneider speaks specifically to Graham's red zone production.

http://www.seahawks.com/video/2015/03/10/john-schneider-deal-graham-was-one-we-had-make

Then here, in September, Bevell basically admits to using Graham as a decoy for the other receivers.

http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/...n-jimmy-graham-hell-continue-to-grow-with-us/

"We talk so much about Jimmy since we’ve got him, but look at what Doug Baldwin did at the end of last year, Jermaine Kearse has always been a staple, Tyler Lockett you can see how he’s coming on and becoming a big part of us... There’s playmakers all over, and Jimmy can dictate coverage and help out those other guys, those other guys start playing then they dictate coverage and help Jimmy.”

In that same article, Bevell defends Wilson for ignoring a single-covered Graham in the endzone for Kearse instead.

It's not a stretch to wonder if Bevell has zero say in acquiring Graham, and possibly even resents being told who to use. Evidence suggests that Bevell is a very stubborn OC, hesitant to adjust for other defenses, or even his own offensive lineup.

How anyone could defend Kearse over a TE on track for the HoF is beyond me, but the larger question is: will Graham ever be welcome in this offense?

This is conjecture, but I believe Bevell has stuck around for so long because of his rapport with Wilson (Bevell, too, is a former Wisconsin QB). And I wonder if he's telling Wilson not to buy into Jimmy's hype and to instead trust his (Bevell's) gameplan, whereas a different, more disinterested OC would say flat out, "Russ, that's Jimmy effing Graham out there, just throw it up for him." You don't call plays in the red zone, you call players. Insisting on Kearse over Graham in the end zone will never cease to amaze me, and it's a microcosm of why Bevell needs to get out of town, and out of this offense's way.

*For the record, I don't think Graham needs more targets, per se, I think he needs smarter targets.

Like you viewpoint. Thanks for the read.

 

[bigskydoc]

Then here, in September, Bevell basically admits to using Graham as a decoy for the other receivers.

http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/...n-jimmy-graham-hell-continue-to-grow-with-us/

"We talk so much about Jimmy since we’ve got him, but look at what Doug Baldwin did at the end of last year, Jermaine Kearse has always been a staple, Tyler Lockett you can see how he’s coming on and becoming a big part of us... There’s playmakers all over, and Jimmy can dictate coverage and help out those other guys, those other guys start playing then they dictate coverage and help Jimmy.”


*For the record, I don't think Graham needs more targets, per se, I think he needs smarter targets.

Thing is, Bevell is right. Graham is a huge decoy that attracts attention and pulls coverage off of the other players in the Red Zone....


Aaaand in being right, he has proved just how wrong he is.


If you have a guy who demands double/triple/bracket coverage in the Red Zone, then you have a huge advantage as offensive coordinator in scheming to get other guys, both rushers and receivers, open. With that kind of huge advantage, you should have a remarkable Red Zone efficiency even when it isn't Graham who is getting the targets.

Thing is, we are in the bottom 1/4th of the league in scoring TDs from inside the Red Zone. Other teams are scheming to take Graham out of the play in the Red Zone, and Bevell is massively failing to counter-scheme and take advantage of the openings that are result from these schemes.

If we saw remarkable Red Zone production from our other players, I couldn't care less how many times Graham was targeted. Once or twice per game? Who cares, as long as we are productive elsewhere. We aren't. We are the most talented team in the bottom fourth of the Red Zone efficiency bracket. We either need to learn to scheme better to take advantage of Graham's reputation, or we need to just try to get it to him.