Slow news day as the Cleveland Browns signed no one on the crazy first day of NFL free agency and the Devils looked awful in Minnesota as the Wild smacked them around to the tune of 6-2 in a game so bad that I tried to go bed at 4-1.I haven't been sleeping well at all and I was tired,although the net result didn't really end well,it still beat watching a beatdown of a hockey game.
Still we had some news as the New Orleans Saints pulled the blockbuster of the day.
We pull for the Saints in the NFC,although I don't have the time to write about them all the time here.
I do watch New Orleans every week though,so I think I'm knowledgeable enough about the team.
The Saints sent Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham and a fourth round pick to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for Pro Bowl center Max Unger and the Seahawks first round pick.
Graham had issues with the Saints front office before last season and had to go before an arbitrator concerning his contract.
Graham is one of the two elite tight ends in the league that teams have to game plan to stop and in Seattle,he could be the main cog that the Seahawks passing game needs.
Graham did see his numbers droop a bit from their usual highs and sometimes showed less than standard effort on plays.
Graham will be a huge loss for the New Orleans offense,who certainly now with the loss of Graham will have address tight end along with a pass catching back either later in free agency or the draft and will likely bounce back as a Seahawk...
As for Unger.a former two time Pro Bowler,he should upgrade the Saints interior line and with two excellent guards in Jahri Evans and Ben Grubbs,the Saints should be able to protect Drew Brees better this year than they did last year.
With the height and lack of scrambling ability of Brees,the guards and center are more important in pass protection than the tackles and I can see why the Saints wanted Unger.
Unger missed ten games with injury last season,so it is an assumption that Unger will be back to his normal par.
If that's the case,this deal should work well for both sides.
The Saints may be trying to rebuild now,although they may be better served trying to win now before Drew Brees is through as an elite level quarterback
New Orleans has two first round selections now that they could address needs or even take the eventual successor to Brees at quarterback if they prefer and rid themselves of a potential malcontent in Graham.
It'll be interesting to see how this plays out,but one thing is for sure-fans of both teams will be talking about this trade for at least one year,if not more to come.....
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