Rachel Wold
It has been a couple weeks since the New Orleans Saints sent Jimmy Graham packing in a shocking trade to the Seattle Seahawks for Max Unger and a first-round pick.
For the first time, the Saints are speaking out on how the trade will impact quarterback Drew Brees moving forward. Head coach Sean Payton spoke with NBC Sports on Monday the situation.
I think it’s tough. Especially — and Drew’s been, shoot for nine years now, he’s played with a lot of different receivers, a lot of different tight ends. And what’s lost a little bit is there’s an energy that’s required when you’re the quarterback and you’re watching film with these players and working on certain routes. And so it’s difficult.
And yet, from a bigger picture standpoint, you’re wanting to play better defense and reduce the amount of points you may need to score to win a game. So losing players like that … those are always difficult. But they impact a quarterback, especially when it’s a tight end like Jimmy Graham. And now it’s our job as coaches to find additional targets. And we feel like we got one in (pass-catching running back) C.J. Spiller, who’s a completely different position but nonetheless a playmaker when the ball’s in his hands.
It appears that giving up their best offensive weapon in exchange for a boost to their lagging defense and an additional pass-catching running back sits well with Payton for now. Whether the Saints are “rebuilding” or just making pressure moves remains to be seen.
As far as Graham is concerned, the Saints could not have traded him to a more stout team, who is nearly complete at all levels.
Photo: USA Today
