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By unloading one of the NFL's top offensive players, the New Orleans Saints freed up resources to improve their struggling defense, general manager Mickey Loomis said Tuesday night.

The Saints traded tight end Jimmy Graham and a fourth-round draft pick to the Seattle Seahawks for center Max Unger and their first-round pick.

"We've got to improve ourselves on defense," Loomis said in an interview with SiriusXM NFL. "There are three ways to get players in our league. That's through free agency, it's through the draft, and then trades. We believe in using all avenues."

Loomis said the Saints took "one of our assets on offense," which was ranked No. 1 in the NFL in 2014, and will plow the freed up resources into improving the 31st-ranked defense.

"It was a tough decision," Loomis said. "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."

The Saints now have the No. 13 and No. 31 overall picks in the NFL Draft, and Loomis didn't rule out combining the two picks to trade up to a higher spot.

"There may be an opportunity to move up," Loomis said. "We did that last year to get Brandin Cooks. ... If that happens again this year, we're more than willing to do that."

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brees84

Don't trade up. Please!

jeanpierre

They're gonna trade up to the Redskins spot and select...Amari Cooper...

alleycat_126

The only way this trade works in our favor... IS

if Unger plays the rest of his contract uninjured... ( He only played six games last season with an ankle injury

if the brass goes out and gets Tramon Williams, Brandon Browner, and Mason Foster in free agency

if the front office hits on the first round pick that seattle gave them... ( last to back of the first round picks..... Patrick Robinson and Mark Ingram!!! smh!!!)

Too
much has to go right in my opinion.... not a horrible trade unless you look at the fact they were a play away from winning the superbowl on a pass, and now they got a player that can body up and get that pass, and you gave up a fourth rounder for them to get a new center to protect russell....

You shouldn't throw stones if you live in a glass house, and if have a glass jaw you should watch your mouth..... cause I'll break your face!!! -50 cent

B_Dub_Saint

Just keep the picks Loomis. You never know the diamond in the rough in the later rounds. It has happened several times in your tenure.

SmashMouth

Rabalais: Saints’ trade of Jimmy Graham ratchets up the pressure for Sean Payton and Mickey Loomis to deliver wins quickly | Saints | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, Louisiana

spkb25

ill take our 2009 offense instead of our 2014 offense all day long.

WillSaints81

I think we could do this

Trade our two first round picks for a high first round pick and that team's second round pick. We could still get the likes of Perryman and McKinnley in the second round.

nola_swammi

So he actually saying we gonna draft defense with that 1st round pick or is he planning on using Unger at defense tackle? That is the only way trading JG going to help defense,,,,, like Loomis as a bean counter but dayuuuuum I can't remember the last time we had a decent draft or offseason free agent that made a difference since the unspoken Free Safety help us get to Super Bowl

Saint in Aus

I have the same question