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I am looking forward to a break out year from Graham. We have improved on the offensive line and have gotten a good RB in Lacy. This makes for a great set up for Graham to be in the go to position to collect those 1st downs. We have a great weapon in Graham and I am looking for his numbers to go up.

politicalfootball wrote:I am looking forward to a break out year from Graham. We have improved on the offensive line and have gotten a good RB in Lacy. This makes for a great set up for Graham to be in the go to position to collect those 1st downs. We have a great weapon in Graham and I am looking for his numbers to go up.

I have given up on JG, we are either not utilizing his skill set, or he was overrated.

I'll give it this season before I throw in the towel on him.

Bevfool does not know how to utilize Jimmy......

Ok he was great with the Saints. Was that just Drew Breed being the best QB out there that got Jimmy the yards with the Saints.

I don't know if I would say I'm close to throwing in the towel. He had almost 1,000 receiving yards, 6TDs, and averaged over 14 yards a catch, pretty impressive numbers overall, especially considering the severity of the injury he was coming back from and the fact that he didn't really have an offseason. I think he will have another good-great year with the Hawks 1,100 yard and 8 TDs...

yeah, he's not on the hot seat in my book, and I won't blame lack of red zone production on him. Bevell and Wilson need to start looking his way and actively getting him involved in the end zone. He was coming on finally his first season and then he got injured. Came back from injury and had a good season; only Kelce and Olsen out-yarded him for TE's, but they also had 30ish more targets a piece, a lower yd/catch, and fewer TD's. Argue his salary all you want (if that indeed is everyone's argument), but you can't argue he was very effective last season.

MackStrongIsMyHero wrote:yeah, he's not on the hot seat in my book, and I won't blame lack of red zone production on him. Bevell and Wilson need to start looking his way and actively getting him involved in the end zone. He was coming on finally his first season and then he got injured. Came back from injury and had a good season; only Kelce and Olsen out-yarded him for TE's, but they also had 30ish more targets a piece, a lower yd/catch, and fewer TD's. Argue his salary all you want (if that indeed is everyone's argument), but you can't argue he was very effective last season.

His contract is up after this season, so he'd have to have an All Pro year for us to bring him back, so in that sense, he is on the hot seat. Although he's improved since his arrival and he's done a commendable job coming back from a potential career ending injury, he was a bad fit for our run-first offense that features some very weak bookends.

But we'll see. Graham is just one of many question marks on our offense.

RiverDog wrote:His contract is up after this season, so he'd have to have an All Pro year for us to bring him back, so in that sense, he is on the hot seat. Although he's improved since his arrival and he's done a commendable job coming back from a potential career ending injury, he was a bad fit for our run-first offense that features some very weak bookends.

But we'll see. Graham is just one of many question marks on our offense.

How is Jimmy a question mark. He was a top 3 receiving TE in the league last year (3rd in yards and tied for 3rd in TDs) with far less targets than the #1 and #2 in receiving yards. I don't think he has to have an All-Pro season to be resigned. If he stays at the 8-10 mil/ year mark he wouldn't have to be an all-pro. There's 8 or 9 TE's in that price range. I'm not saying we should or shouldn't pay that much but as a TE that's certainly a 'fair' range for him. If he wants us to break the bank and make him the highest paid TE in the NFL, then yeah he would have to have an All-Pro season and that might not even do it for that price. IMO his numbers last year were about what we should have been getting from him. It would be cool for him to get 1,000 yards and 8-10 TDs, but he's not too far off those numbers...

JG had an outstanding season last year. As pointed out, he should'nt have even been able to play with that type of injury.

Throw in the towel?...Thats laughable.

mykc14 wrote:How is Jimmy a question mark. He was a top 3 receiving TE in the league last year (3rd in yards and tied for 3rd in TDs) with far less targets than the #1 and #2 in receiving yards. I don't think he has to have an All-Pro season to be resigned. If he stays at the 8-10 mil/ year mark he wouldn't have to be an all-pro. There's 8 or 9 TE's in that price range. I'm not saying we should or shouldn't pay that much but as a TE that's certainly a 'fair' range for him. If he wants us to break the bank and make him the highest paid TE in the NFL, then yeah he would have to have an All-Pro season and that might not even do it for that price. IMO his numbers last year were about what we should have been getting from him. It would be cool for him to get 1,000 yards and 8-10 TDs, but he's not too far off those numbers...

He was brought in here to bolster our red zone offense, and last season, we ranked 27th, the worst since Russell's arrival. Additionally, he's not a blocking tight end, and we need tight ends that can contribute both in the running game and as pass blockers to support our turnstile bookends. The guy is too tall and lanky to get under the shoulder pads of defensive ends and linebackers.

As some have pointed out, it may not be his fault personally, rather the way we've been using him, and you can blame him for his getting hurt. But I don't think there's any doubt that for whatever reason he's been a disappointment given what we gave up to get him here, although I won't go as far as calling the trade a bust.

I don't see us paying him what he can fetch on the free market unless he really tears it up this season. It goes against the grain of Pete's philosophy. My guess is that we cut bait with him after this season.

Honestly? Over-rated? Jimmy is the best TE we have had in Franchise history and clearly one of the best in the league. I swear I just can't see what some of you see. Coming off a MAJOR injury, (which ruined Victor Cruz, BTW), missed the first game and half, that O-line (my GOD), an injured RB fleet, a hobbled QB and he still sets franchise record for a TE and you guys thinks he needs to improve? IMHO, he should have been the comeback player of the year last year and hoisted atop his peers shoulders for what he accomplished. And for the record, he got better at blocking, too.

What does a dude need to do? Not only did he best #s for any Hawk's TE EVER, he damn near got a 1,000 yards which very few Seahawk WRs ever do. He was top 3 in the league last season after everything he went through. Were there any other conditions that created us to be 27th last year in RZ O?

#Jimmy4Prez

He needs to be more productive in the Red Zone, but I don't think it's his fault he hasn't been to date.
An unimaginative Offense perhaps limited by a poor OL doesn't give him the chances he should otherwise get considering his physical stature.
It seems they never steal plays from other Offenses that have shown to be advantageous for taller receivers.
They could have even done something simple like putting both McEvoy and Graham twinned in the slot - or one behind the other in the slot or wider.
We need to come up with new wrinkles to take advantage of the physical attributes of players with unique qualities.

Who said that JG is over rated? I know it wasn't me. IMO he's a bad fit for our offense.

I tend to agree with North Hawk, that our lack of red zone offense isn't all JG's fault. But that just goes to prove my point, that he's a bad fit.

But we'll see. Lots of things can happen in a year.

c_hawkbob wrote:I'll give it this season before I throw in the towel on him.

This. His numbers have been far better than he gets credit for.

#Jimmy4Prez

Seconded- can we swap him for the current occupant of 1600 Penn. Ave.?

I'm sorry RD, I don't agree with a bad fit. How can a great TE be a bad fit for an offense that sorely needs one?....Because he isn't a blocker?...Guess what..His blocking has improved dramatically.

And also guess what. We will have a viable rushing attack this year which will make his presence very welcome. He had awesome stats last year even being targeted less.

There is a LOT to like about having Graham as a Seahawk.

He did pretty well last year, and especially so considering his injury and Russ's injuries.
If he has an exceptional year in 2017, will we be able to afford him or could we afford to let him go?
It would be a big decision for the Front Office.

Graham has improved his blocking skills since his arrival, but you have to keep his improvement in perspective. He was absolutely horrible when he first came here. He's not a true tight end, more of a wide receiver. Plus his blocking deficiencies are compounded by the fact that Luke Willson isn't a great blocking tight end, either, and this team loves running two tight end sets.

And North Hawk, I honestly don't see us entering into a bidding war for Graham's continued services. Outside of our face of the franchise quarterback and our heart and soul running back, Pete's m.o. has been to skimp on the offensive side of the ball.

And the Seahawks were well aware of his blocking deficiency when they signed him. I get it that his blocking had no where to go but up, but last year's improvement and, hopefully, this year's improvement only make him a more complete tight end. He's a phenomenal receiver, and I'd be very happy if he's only above average in blocking.

The way I see it:

1. He's been worth it since he got here; no way to know an injury like his was going to happen, but he came back with vengeance. This is a better team with him than without him.
2. If (big) the running game and oline play improves, he'll be even more dangerous this year.
3. If he commands top 5 tight end money as a FA next offseason, I don't think the Seahawks will fight to keep him. Like River said, no bidding war; they'll make and offer and let him walk if he gets higher offers, and I suspect he will.