What Jimmy Graham, Max Unger trade does for both teams

There have been so many shocking moves in this packed free-agent period, but the most shocking was a trade, as opposed to an actual signing, as the New Orleans Saints shaved off huge cap space by dealing superstar tight end Jimmy Graham to the back-to-back NFC Championship-winning Seattle Seahawks in exchange for standout center Max Unger. The Saints also shipped a fourth-round pick to the draft-savvy Seahawks, who parted ways with the No. 31 overall pick in this year’s draft, which could net the Saints a top pass-catcher as a replacement in this year’s stacked class.

Both of these teams have had busy offseasons, but the Saints are still in the only team in the “red” even after this Graham trade, which saved them $5.1 million against the cap this season and $19 million combined in the final two years of his deal. It’s been yet another offseason of cap-cutting for the Saints, who also have to smooth things over with disgruntled No. 1 corner Keenan Lewis, who is trying to force the team to feed him major guaranteed money.

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Yesterday’s Graham-Unger blockbuster benefits both teams despite the fact that most people believe the Seahawks won this deal handedly. I never like to view trades like a game, since there isn’t always one winner and one loser; in most trades, both sides win or have reasons for making the deal, and that’s clearly the case with this deal.

How it helps the Seahawks

It’s easiest to talk about how this trade helps the Seahawks, since it’s obvious that Russell Wilson needed a dynamic pass-catcher after having Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse as his top two options. Baldwin is a smooth route-runner and an efficient, tough receiver with good hands, but he’s a No. 2 “Z” receiver at his very best. Kearse, on the other hand, is a situational deep threat with great physical tools, but he’s horrible at separating on non-vertical routes.

The Seahawks desperately needed an upgrade at the position, as they tried to live off of Wilson’s arm strength and the size of their wide receivers. Well, they still need a wide receiver in the draft, but they finally have a true No. 1 target in their passing game with the acquisition of Graham, who is clearly capable of leading a passing attack. After all, he was the No. 1 target in an elite Saints pass offense.

Graham is one of the best and most consistent weapons in the game due to his size, hands, and ability to generate mis-matches against anybody. He’s the kind of guy Wilson can rely on when throwing it over the middle or in the red zone, and while he isn’t the ideal No. 1 target for the Seahawks, he’s definitely the game-changer this team needed. Graham is one of the toughest players in the NFL, and he’s a yearly lock for 80 catches and 10 touchdowns, and he’s a 1,200-yard, 90-catch player when he isn’t fighting through a nagging injury.

Now, the Seahawks don’t have to feel forced to use the inconsistent but promising Luke Willson as their No. 1 TE, as they have a beastly “move” tight end on their hands. Moreover, the way Graham commands attention up the middle will open things up for the Seahawks vertical attack, which had a difficult time coming alive last year after the departure of the versatile Golden Tate. As we saw last season in the Saints game against the Pittsburgh Steelers when Kenny Stills went off, paying too much attention to Graham leaves a defense vulnerable over the top.

Kearse was surprisingly handed a second-round tender, so the Seahawks have no chance of losing him in restricted free agency this offseason. With a wide receiver corps mostly stocked with tall deep threats, the Seahawks passing attack as a whole will get a massive boost from having Jimmy Graham, though it comes at the cost of a first-round pick, a significant financial commitment, and the loss of their most reliable offensive lineman (Russell Okung is No. 2 due to health issues).

Even though we can sit here and talk about how the Seahawks needed a true wide receiver more than a “move” tight end like Graham, the fact of the matter is that this upgrade is more than sufficient. The Seattle Seahawks have added one of the best players in the game, and they’ve added someone who is much better at getting open than the rest of their pass-catchers.

How it helps the Saints

It’s easy to look at this deal and say, “Wow, the Seahawks jobbed the Saints, and they look like complete Super Bowl favorites after adding an elite player at a relatively low price,” and while it is fair to say that John Schneider and the Seahawks did very well for themselves in this deal, you can’t overlook the positives in this deal for the Saints.

I’m not sure the Saints “won” this deal, but let’s just look at how this move helps them first. OK fine, I’ll just admit how it hurts them. It hurts them since they lost an elite pass-catcher, a monster in the red zone, and the second-best player on a team that completely under-achieved last season. Graham is a centerpiece player, and the Saints know it, which is why they did everything possible to lock him up last year; he’s a difference- and mis-match- maker in every sense.

That said, the Saints desperately needed to cut salary cap space, and the fact that this move alone didn’t achieve that signifies just how bad their cap conundrum was before the Graham deal. This wasn’t solely a cap-cutting move, but that’s the main reason for completing this deal.

Oct 6, 2014; Landover, MD, USA; Seattle Seahawks center Max Unger (60) lines up against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Look, the Saints run up into cap issues so often because they created a top-heavy roster that simply didn’t have enough breadth of talent and depth.

For as amazing as Graham is and as important as he has been to this team’s success, the $10 million per year deal he signed last year has made him a bit of a hindrance when it comes to building a well-rounded team.

The Saints were 7-9 last year, and while a fully healthy Graham could have helped them eek into the playoffs, he did play in all 16 games and has been forced to play through a major injury for two straight seasons.

Unger’s impact on the field can’t be underestimated either, since he’s exactly what the Saints needed. Drew Brees had a down year statistically largely because of horrendous pass protection up the middle.

The New Orleans Saints missed center Brian De La Puente more than they thought, and, on top of that, Jahri Evans, who is a prime cap casualty candidate, had the worst season of his career.

Despite having one of the league’s better offensive tackle bookends in Terron Armstead and Zach Strief, the Saints couldn’t keep Brees clean, and quick interior pressure absolutely destroys the rhythm of a passing attack.

Moreover, the line play didn’t do the Saints running game any favors, and Max Unger will be a huge boon for re-signed feature back Mark Ingram and talented No. 2 RB Khiry Robinson.

See, Unger’s claim to fame is the fact that he’s one of the NFL’s best run blockers and one of the NFL’s best centers, as he was such a huge key for Marshawn Lynch last season and in 2012. He had a down year in 2013 due to an injury, but that was a clear anomaly. Even though he’s only an average pass blocker, Unger was back to his best in the running game last season and affirmed his status as arguably the NFL’s best center in that phase of the game, as the Seahawks were at their best when pounding the ball up the middle (though Lynch’s rushing style also has something to do with that).

Dealing away Graham hurts the Saints by taking away their second-best player and one of the game’s biggest stars, but the Seahawks also had to part ways with a huge part of their offense, as Unger is a massive part of their success on the ground. He’s a clear upgrade in pass pro at center, and he’s a much more pronounced upgrade in the running game.

Of course, Unger wasn’t even the best or second-best part of the deal, though he is an All-Pro-caliber center in his own right when he’s on his game. For the Saints, it’s all about saving cap space and snagging a first-round pick, which can get them a big difference-maker on either side of the ball at a low financial cost. They can take a CB like Kevin Johnson or Trae Waynes with their first first-round pick and snag an impact pass-catcher with the No. 31 pick.

Next: Who are the biggest draft busts in NFL history?

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