New Orleans turned Jimmy Graham and a fourth-round pick into…
New Orleans turned Jimmy Graham and a fourth-round pick into center Max Unger and the No. 31 selection, used on Stephone Anthony. Seattle still got three productive seasons from Graham, including two double-digit or near-double-digit touchdown campaigns, and the acquired fourth-rounder became part of the package used to move up for Tyler Lockett. Unger's four seasons anchoring the Saints' line give New Orleans the stronger long-term return.
New Orleans Saints Received
- player Max Unger
- pick 2015 1st round pick (31st overall, Stephone Anthony)
Seattle Seahawks Received
- player Jimmy Graham
- pick 2015 4th round pick (112th overall subsequently traded, Arie Kouandjio )
Trade Analysis
Seattle made the deal from a position of championship contention. The Seahawks wanted a premier red-zone target for Russell Wilson and acquired Jimmy Graham, then one of the league's most productive tight ends, along with a 2015 fourth-round pick. Graham's first season ended after 11 games because of a serious knee injury, but he returned to post 923 receiving yards in 2016 and 10 touchdowns in 2017. Across three Seattle seasons he caught 170 passes for 2,048 yards and 18 scores, so the move produced far more than a short-lived name acquisition.
The fourth-rounder also retained some downstream value. Seattle included pick No. 112 in the multi-pick package sent to Washington to move up for Tyler Lockett. That does not make Lockett solely a product of this deal because Seattle added several other selections, but the acquired pick was a real ingredient in a highly successful move.
New Orleans received the steadier long-term piece. Max Unger immediately became the Saints' starting center and remained there for four seasons, helping stabilize the interior line during the transition toward the later Drew Brees-era contenders. The Saints also received pick No. 31 and used it on linebacker Stephone Anthony. Anthony posted a productive rookie season but never developed into the long-term defensive cornerstone New Orleans hoped for, which keeps the first-round component from becoming a home run.
The trade therefore looks better for both teams than a simple overpay narrative suggests. Seattle got three meaningful Graham seasons and useful draft flexibility, deserving a B rather than a failing grade. New Orleans gets a B+ because Unger's four-year starting value was more durable and the Saints also collected first-round capital. The Saints retain the edge, but it is a competitive result rather than a one-sided defeat.