Do the Seahawks need to draft a TE?

With Jimmy Graham rehabbing from a serious knee injury, do the Seahawks need to draft a TE this weekend?

Recently, Pete Carroll stated that he believes Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham will be ready to go when the Seahawks take the field against Miami in week #1 of the NFL regular season. That’s a bold statement in light of the severity of Graham’s patella tendon rupture suffered against Pittsburgh last November 29th.

But even if that’s the way it unfolds, the question remains of just how solid Seattle’s group of tight end’s is.

Here’s where it stands now:

1. Graham, 29 years old, an elite talent that the Seahawks were just figuring out how to incorporate in their offense before he went down. Patella tendon injuries are difficult to come back from, just ask Giants WR Victor Cruz, who hasn’t been the same since he tore his in 2014. Even if Graham does, however, what’s his long-term future in blue look like? He has $16.8 million left on the last two years of his contract, but none of it is guaranteed. If at any time the Hawks feel he isn’t living up to his cap number they can release or trade him and recoup a significant savings.
2. Luke Willson, 26, 5th round pick in 2013. He’s had his moments, and might be the best all-around receiving/blocking tight end on the roster. Still, he’s had issues with drops and staying healthy, and his ceiling may be limited. He’s due $1.7 million in the last year of his contract this year. He’s the kind of guy who might stick around long term, but can he ever be more than just a complimentary piece?
3. Cooper Helfet, 26, has spent his entire career in Seattle after being signed as an undrafted free agent out of Duke in 2012. He might have the best hands of the bunch, but doesn’t have ideal size (6’3″ 239 lbs) for the position and will never be more than a situational player.

The only other TE’s listed on the roster at the moment are 2nd year players Ronnie Shields and Brandon Cottom. Cottom spent the 2015 season on the practice squad as a fullback after playing running back in college. 

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Carroll loves to preach competition, and GM John Schneider loves adding more bodies to every position, especially those made up of players with uncertain futures. So why were there no moves this off season to bolster the tight end room, particularly in light of Graham’s uncertain health?

It could very well be that they’re looking to add a young TE in this draft. It’s not a particularly deep or impressive group at that position this year, but there are a few intriguing possibilities who could fit in and help the Seahawks now and in the long term:

• Nick Vannett, Ohio State: I’ve been advocating for Vannett as a fit, and have included him in many of my 7 round mock drafts for months now. He has an ideal body for the position at 6’6″ and 257 lbs, and even though he was only a full-time starter for one year as a Buckeye, he showed reliable hands and outstanding ability as a blocker. He’s the best combo TE in this class, and something the Seahawks have missed since Zach Miller retired. His ceiling is higher than Willson’s and he would be available in the 3rd or 4th round.
• Austin Hooper, Stanford: He’s 2″ shorter and needs to add some weight an upper body strength but Hooper is just a tick below Vannett in his ability to catch the ball, and is also an effective blocker.
• Devon Cajuste (pictured), Stanford: Cajuste is an interesting case. He hasn’t been an official VMAC visitor but there are reports of Seattle’s interest, and he’s very close friends with WR Doug Baldwin. He played WR for the Cardinal, but at 6’4″ 235 lbs many analysts are projecting him as a natural convert to TE.

And so far, the only TE prospects to have official visits with Seattle are small-school WR-to-TE conversion prospects. So what gives? Are the Seahawks looking to change the way they use their tight ends? Are they not interested at all in any of the higher-rated guys? Or are they simply hiding their interest?

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At the moment, the Seahawks draft position seem to fall in line with where the sweet spot for solid TE prospects lines up in this draft. There are simply more important needs at the top of their board. But with mounting speculation that Schneider may want to trade down once or twice, there’s the possibility they could add more picks in rounds 3-5. If that happens, don’t be surprised if they add another young tight end to what is already a talented, yet uncertain, group of players.