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   FOR  MORE  INFORMATION  CONTACT:   Victoria  Freeman   Saints Senior Staff Email:  [email protected]     Phone:  (225)  572-­‐1329   NEWS  RELEASE     FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE   April  22,  2015       N.O.  Saints  Trade  Tight  End  Jimmy  Graham  for  Center  Max  Unger     NEW   ORLEANS,   LA   (March,   10,   2015)   –   The   New   Orleans   Saints   have   agreed   to   trade   tight   end   Jimmy   Graham   and   its   fourth   round   draft   pick   in   2015   in   exchange   for   Seattle  Seahawks  center  Max  Unger  and  the  Seahawks’  first  round  draft  pick  in  2015.     On   March   10,   Saints   general   manager   Mickey   Loomis   officially   announced   that   Jimmy   Graham   had   been   traded   to   the   Seahawks.   “We’ve   got   to   improve   ourselves   on   defense.   There’s   three   ways   to   get   players   in   our   league.   That’s   through   free   agency,   it’s   through   draft,  and  then  trades.  We  kind  of  believe  in  using  all  avenues.  So  we  took  one  of  our  assets   on  offense  and  turned  it  into  some  resources  we  can  hopefully  improve  our  defense  with.  It   was  a  tough  decision.  We  love  Jimmy  Graham.  He’s  been  a  great  player  for  us.  …  In  order  to   improve  ourselves  we  felt  we  had  to  make  a  bold  move,  and  so  we  did.”       Loomis   continued   by   saying,   “We would like to thank Jimmy for all that he has done for our organization for the last five seasons. We wish Jimmy the best of luck in the future. We also want to welcome Max to our team. Max has been an instrumental Pro Bowl player with Seattle since being drafted in 2009 in the second round. In addition, with the first round draft pick, we - more - 1 will have the opportunity to impact our team for years to come.”   By  trading  Graham,  the  Saints  will  get  rid  of  an  expensive  contract  and  gain  a  first-­‐round   draft  pick.  This  is  very  important  in  building  the  team  defensively  and  improving  the  team’s   chances  for  success  in  the  future.     The   Saints’   newest   edition,   Max   Unger,   has   played   in   the   NFL   for   six   years   as   a   center.   Additionally,  he  was  selected  to  play  in  the  Pro  Bowl  for  two  years.  He  has  started  in  all  of   the  67  games  that  he  has  played  for  the  Seahawks.       “The  track  record  of  success  and  the  formula  that  they  have  here,  it’s  awesome,”  Unger  said   about  the  New  Orleans  Saints.  “It’s  been  a  tough  team  to  play  since  I’ve  been  in  the  league,   and  we’ve  played  quite  a  few  times.  They  seem  to  have  a  good  group  of  guys  that  know  how   to  win,  and  it’s  exciting  to  be  able  to  contribute  to  that.”     “This  is  cool.  I’m  really  excited  to  be  here.  This  is  a  cool  city;  it’s  an  awesome  opportunity.   Coming  to  a  great  franchise  and  a  city  –  I’ve  never  lived  in  the  South  before  and  just  from   being  here  one  day,  it  looks  like  it’s  going  to  be  a  lot  of  fun,”  said  Unger.     The   Saints   look   forward   to   working   with   Unger   in   the   upcoming   season   and   the   team   is   excited  to  see  what  he  can  bring  to  the  team.  While  moving  forward,  the  team  would  also   like   to   thank   Jimmy   Graham   for   everything   he   has   done   for   the   Saints   through   the   years   and  the  dedication  he  has  displayed  on  the  field.  The  team  wishes  him  success  with  his  new     - more - 2       team.  We  are  confident  Jimmy  will  be  a  great  asset  for  the  Seahawks.  He  has  always  strived   for  excellence  in  everything  he’s  done  and  he  has  shown  great  skill  and  talent  while  playing   for  the  Saints.     The  New  Orleans  Saints  now  have  two  picks  in  the  first  round  of  the  2015  draft.  The  NFL   Draft  will  take  place  April  30  through  May  2.  The  first  round  will  begin  on  Thursday,  April   30,   at   8:00   p.m.   The   second   and   third   rounds   will   be   on   Friday,   at   7:00   p.m.   Finally,   the   fourth  through  seventh  rounds  will  be  on  Saturday  at  12:00  p.m.  (All  times  listed  are  in  the   eastern  time  zone)     About  the  New  Orleans  Saints   The New Orleans Saints are a professional football team located in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are in the South division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League.  Visit  Neworleanssaints.com  for  more  information.                   ####   3       SELECTED  QUOTES   Interviews  on  2015  Trade  between  Saints  and  Seahawks   Mickey Loomis – Saints General Manager “First off, it’s hard to make trades in the NFL, especially bigger trades for really good players. We had a number of conversations with Seattle. At the end of the day it comes down to this: we have had a good offensive team for a number of years. We have finished top four or five in offense eight of the last nine years. We feel like we do well on that side of the ball, but we have to improve ourselves on defense. “We would like to thank Jimmy for all that he has done for our organization for the last five seasons,” Loomis said. “He became a very productive tight end with our team. We wish Jimmy the best of luck in the future. We also want to welcome Max to our team. Max has been an instrumental Pro Bowl player with Seattle since being drafted in 2009 in the second round. In addition, with the first round draft pick, we will have the opportunity to impact our team for years to come.” “Coming to us from a primary basketball background with limited experience in 2010, Jimmy immediately got to work in the weight room, on the practice field and in the playbook and quickly evolved into one of the top tight ends that I have ever coached, Saints Head Coach Sean Payton said. “Decisions like these are always difficult and we wish Jimmy the best of luck. We’re excited to add Max to our offensive line. He is a tough, physical player where he blocked for one of the top rushing offenses in the NFL, he has been a solid contributor to Seattle’s success.” Max Unger – NFL Center “The track record of success and the formula that they have here, it’s awesome,” Unger said. “It’s been a tough team to play since I’ve been in the league, and we’ve played quite a few times. They seem to have a good group of guys that know how to win, and it’s exciting to be able to contribute to that. “The concepts are familiar, just from watching them on film. It’s cool to get into it and figure it out and see what I can provide and how I can contribute to (the offense). 4 “This is cool. I’m really excited to be here. This is a cool city it’s an awesome opportunity. Coming to a great franchise and a city – I’ve never lived in the South before and just from being here one day, it looks like it’s going to be a lot of fun.” Jimmy Graham – Former Saints Tight End “Thank you whodat nation & the city for all your support, love & hospitality. And to all my brothers I've played with over the years. Thank you.” Sean Peyton – New Orleans Saints Head Coach “Coming to us from a primary basketball background with limited experience in 2010, Jimmy immediately got to work in the weight room, on the practice field and in the playbook and quickly evolved into one of the top tight ends that I have ever coached… Decisions like these are always difficult and we wish Jimmy the best of luck. We're excited to add Max to our offensive line. He is a tough, physical player where he blocked for one of the top rushing offenses in the NFL, he has been a solid contributor to Seattle's success.” 5   ABOUT  THE  SPEAKERS     Mickey  Loomis  New  Orleans  Saints  General  Manager   Mickey   Loomis   is   the   executive   vice   president   and   General   Manager   of   the   NFL's   New   Orleans   Saints.   He   was   named   NFL   executive   of   the   year   for   2006.   Since   June   2012,   he   is   also  head  of  basketball  operations  for  the  New  Orleans  Pelicans  of  the  National  Basketball   Association.   Loomis   joined   the   Saints   in   2000   and   became   general   manager   in   2002.   He   was   with   the   Saints  when  they  were  forced  to  relocate  to  San   Antonio  in  the  wake  of  Hurricane  Katrina,  and   helped  rebuild  the  team  afterward,  culminating   in  its  victory  in  Super  Bowl  XLIV.     Max  Unger  NFL  Center  –  Former  Seattle  Seahawks’  Center   Maxwell   McCandless   "Max"   Unger   is   an   American   football   center   for   the   New   Orleans   Saints   of   the   National   Football   League  (NFL).     He  was  drafted  by  the  Seattle  Seahawks  in   the   second   round   of   the   2009   NFL   Draft.   Unger   was   listed   as   the   No.   1   offensive   guard   available   in   the   2009   NFL   Draft.   He   was   drafted   by   the   Seahawks   in   the   second   round   and   was   the   starting   center   for   the   Seahawks  in  Super  Bowl  XLVIII.     6   ORGANIZATION  BIO   The  New  Orleans  Saints   The   New   Orleans   Saints   is   a   professional   American   football   team   in   the   National   Football   League.   It   is  a  member  of  the  South  division  of  the  National  Football  Conference.  The  team  is  located  in  New   Orleans,   Louisiana.   John   Mecom   Jr.,   David   Dixon   and   the   city   of   New   Orleans   founded   team,   and   they  began  playing  games  in  1967.     The   team’s   colors   are   black   and   gold   and   its   logo   is   a   fleur-­‐de-­‐lis.   For   a   period   of   time   the   Saints   played   its   games   in   Tulane   Stadium   until   they   moved   to   the   Mercedes-­‐Benz   Superdome.   The   Superdome  suffered  external  and  internal  damage  due  to  Hurricane  Katrina  in  2005.  The  roof  of  the   dome   was   torn   off   and   there   was   destruction   caused   from   flooding.   The   dome   was   used   as   an   emergency  shelter  for  those  who  lost  their  homes  during  the  tragedy.     2009  was  a  team  record  for  the  Saints.  They  went  to  win  Super  Bowl  XLIV.  It  is  currently  the  only   Super   Bowl   championship   they   have   won.   The   Super   Bowl   win   meant   so   much   to   the   people   of   Louisiana   in   the   aftermath   of   Katrina.   People   rallied   behind   a   cause   as   a   collective   state   and   celebrated  in  its  victory.     Sean  Peyton  has  acted  as  the  full-­‐time  head  coach  of  the  New  Orleans  Saints  since  2006.  The  team  is   lead  by  quarterback  Drew  Brees  (number  nine).  He  has  played  for  the  Saints  for  nine  years.  Since   joining  the  Saints  in  2006,  he  has  led  all  NFL  quarterbacks  in  touchdowns,  passing  yards  and  300-­‐ yard  games.   7
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