Backup Luke Willson is now an unrestricted free agent with no certainty that he returns, and Brandon Williams --- who was essentially the third tight end this year and a core special teams player --- is also an unrestricted free agent.
Seattle’s tight end position may be one of the more intriguing to watch going forward.
Jimmy Graham can be a free agent after the 2017 season and while the Seahawks could extend his contract this off-season, they also could do nothing and wait and see what happens after the year, while some have wondered if Seattle could also decide to release him and save all of his $10 million cap hit next year — here’s a more detailed look at that situation.
Backup Luke Willson is now an unrestricted free agent with no certainty that he returns, and Brandon Williams — who was essentially the third tight end this year and a core special teams player — is also an unrestricted free agent.
So there are a lot of ways this position could go over the next 12 months or so.
First, a review of 2016.
TIGHT END
STARTER
Jimmy Graham
Snaps played: 790 of 1,059, 74.6 percent (per Pro Football Reference).
Contract situation: Signed through 2017 season.
2016 stats: 65 catches on 95 targets, 923 yards, 14.2 yards per catch, 6 TDs.
BACKUPS
Luke Willson
Snaps played: 351 of 1,059, 33.1 percent.
Contract situation: Will become an unrestricted free agent when new league year begins March 9.
2016 stats: 15 receptions, 21 targets, 129 yards, 8.6 YPC, 2 TDs.
Brandon Williams
Snaps played: 146 of 1,059, 13.9 percent.
Contract situation: Will become an unrestricted free agent when new league year begins March 9.
2016 stats: Two receptions, three targets, 36 yards, 18.0 YPC, 0 TDs.
Nick Vannett
Snaps played: 84 of 1,059, 7.93 percent.
Contract situation: Signed through 2019.
2016 stats: Three receptions, four targets, 32 yards, 10.7 YPC, 0 TDs.
2016 REVIEW
Graham’s second season with the Seahawks began a lot better than his first, particularly after he shook off the rust in week one after recovering from a knee injury suffered the previous November. From the second week of the season through week 12 Graham had 56 catches for 758 yards, averaging just over five catches and 66 receiving yards per game, each right in line with his career averages during his five years with the New Orleans Saints.
But then things hit a lull as Graham had just 15 catches for 213 yards in the last six games, twice held to just one catch and never making more than four.
Graham had two catches for 18 yards and a touchdown in the first half of the divisional playoff against Atlanta but then just one catch for four yards on one target in the second, a half in which Seattle threw 21 passes.
It was a fitting ending to a season in which Graham set Seahawks single-season records for receptions and yards by a tight end and was also named to the Pro Bowl, yet all-too-often there was a lingering feeling he wasn’t getting involved enough, especially in the red zone — he had just three touchdowns in the final 10 games (including post-season).
Willson battled a knee injury at mid-season that caused him to miss five games and resulted in career-low reception and yards totals. He also didn’t have a catch of longer than 12 yards after the first game of the season, his trademark speed not as much of a factor this season than in past years.
Williams made the team largely due to his special teams value — his 335 special teams snaps were the second-most on the team and most of any offensive player (Cassius Marsh had 347).
Vannett suffered a high ankle sprain in the pre-season that held him out of the first four games. And then he was often the odd man out with Seattle not needing four tight ends active at times.
He was officially a starter in two-tight end sets against the Patriots and the Panthers, and had two catches for 25 yards in the blowout of Carolina.
GRADE: B. That Graham set team records for catches and yards by a Seattle tight end can’t be ignored. But neither can the sense that if Graham is with the Seahawks in 2017 and beyond, the team has to figure out how to get a little more out of him.
OFF-SEASON OBJECTIVES
Maybe sign Graham to an extension — or not.
Seattle also has to figure out if it will try to keep Willson. Coach Pete Carroll said Monday that “we’d love to have him back. We did pursue that earlier and we tried to get something done and we weren’t able to.’’
Willson likewise said he hoped to be back.
But Willson may also want to hit the free agent market and see if he can get a deal similar to his college teammate at Rice, Vance McDonald.
Each was taken in the 2013 draft — McDonald second round, Willson in the fifth — and has similar stats in four career seasons (McDonald 64 catches for 866 yards and seven TDs; Willson 74 receptions for 976 yards and seven TDs).
In December, McDonald signed an extension with the 49ers that essentially works out to three years and $19.7 million with a $7 million signing bonus (and options for fourth and fifth seasons).
Willson, meanwhile, has made roughly $2.3 million in four years with Seattle and knows this may be one of his best shots at getting a big payday.
Seattle, conversely, may not want to pay big to keep Willson if Graham is in the future plans, while also knowing it has Vannett in place on a rookie contract for three more years.
Williams would seem a player the Seahawks would want back given his special teams value this season.
NEXT: Offensive line.