Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said Jimmy Graham is more than tough enough during an interview today on 710 ESPN Seattle.
Still wondering about the toughness of the newest Seahawk, tight end Jimmy Graham?
Seattle coach Pete Carroll says stop.
“That’s not accurate,” Carroll said today during an interview on 710 ESPN Seattle about questions that Graham isn’t tough. “We’ve watched his stuff. When you get 140-something targets, that’s a lot of shots they can take at you. I don’t think hes going to get hit like that in our offense because it will be harder to zero in on him.
“ … he’s been tough. Really impressed with him as a competitor. He’s been very, very consistent.’’
Carroll said Graham, who passed his physical last night, had good meetings with Seattle coaches yesterday at the VMAC. In fact, Carroll said he “blew our socks off” during those meetings.
“He’s not going to have any trouble transitioning,” Carroll said. “He’s very likeable.”
Carroll said again that Graham has already been in touch with Russell Wilson about off-season workouts and that Graham told him “wherever Russell’s going, I’m going. That was the first thing he said.’’
Carroll gushed throughout the interview about the impact Graham may be able to make on the Seattle offense, especially in the red zone and on third down.
Carroll said they had just watched again all of Graham’s targets to get a sense of how he was used by the Saints. He threw out a few stats, as well, such as that
Graham has had 50 catches in the red zone the last three years with 35 going for touchdowns.
“That’s legit,’’ Carroll said. “You go to him because he’s such a big factor.’’
Carroll also said Graham had 34 targets on third down last season with 17 first downs and compared that to Doug Baldwin’s 35 targets with 18 going for first downs. “That’s (Graham) a big addition to complement (Baldwin),’’ Carroll said. “. … His red zone production is ridiculous.’’
Carroll was asked about how Seattle had tried to fit Percy Harvin into the offense and he said there is really no comparison because they won’t have to do anything different than their usual offense for Graham.
“He runs the routes that people run,’’ Carroll said. “. .. Russell will find him just in the midst of the normal throwing game, so that’s really exciting.’’
Carroll noted that Seattle doesn’t throw as much as the Saints, hinting that Graham’s stats won’t be the same statistically as in New Orleans. But Carroll said his overall impact could be just as big.
“Our guys don’t get the same numbers, the same targets that other guys get,’’ he said. “But the productivity can still be a huge factor.’’
Carroll also talked about the departure of center Max Unger and said that he told Unger that he didn’t have the appropriate words to express what Unger had meant to the Seahawks.
“It’s a terrible loss for us,’’ Carroll said. “. … but this is what it took to make the deal so we had to get it done.’’
Carroll said again that he expects Alvin Bailey to have a chance to start at left guard but said there will be additions to the roster that will make it competitive.
“There is a lot of interest from guys who are free agents right now that want to get in here and play for us,’’ he said.
He also noted that it is “a very, very good draft’’ for offensive linemen “so we’ll see if we can find some help.’’