Did the Seahawks get the better end of the Jimmy Graham deal?
Coach Pete Carroll has no doubts, even after the playmaking tight end was lost for the year with the torn patellar tendon he suffered in Sunday's win over the Steelers.
"Oh, I love him on our team," Carroll said Wednesday, per The News Tribune. "I love him. He's a terrific teammate. He brings character and personality to our team. He's a dynamic player. I can only see for really cool things to happen in our future."
Said Carroll: "That is a great, long-term decision that we made. We are happy to have him. Miss the heck out of them."
The Seahawks rocked the NFL last March by shipping Pro Bowl center Max Unger and a first-round pick to the Saints in exchange for Graham. After scoring a whopping 26 touchdowns over his final two seasons in New Orleans, the All-Pro pass-catcher was viewed as the answer to Seattle's red-zone woes heading into the season. He was far from a disaster, but Graham often struggled to connect with quarterback Russell Wilson and finished the campaign with only two touchdowns off 605 yards.
His 48 catches on the year leave Graham just 10th in grabs at his position. The hope is that another offseason will help the Pro Bowler to become more interwoven into Darrell Bevell's scheme. If that doesn't happen -- or if this latest injury renders Graham a shadow of himself -- it's hard to call this trade a "great, long-term decision."
