Seattle Seahawks expect Jimmy Graham to play Week 1

Despite suffering a brutal season-ending injury in 2015, Jimmy Graham is expected to return right away for 2016.

Seattle Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham has healed from a torn patellar tendon that ended his 2015 season early and is expected to play in Week 1. The Seahawks have slowly eased him back into playing, and they seem to be confident about the tight end’s health. Pro Football Talk reports head coach Pete Carroll expects him to take the field on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.

Graham has been listed as questionable for Week 1, but Carroll’s optimism strongly indicates that he will indeed take the field. This will give quarterback Russell Wilson just another weapon to throw to.

Graham struggled to fit in the Seahawks offense last season, though. He looked nothing like the Pro Bowl tight end who caught passes from Drew Brees in New Orleans. Graham finished with 48 receptions for 605 yards and just two touchdowns in his first year with the Seahawks. The 29-year-old has flashed superstar ability in the past, as he caught 171 passes for 2,104 yards and 26 touchdowns in his last two seasons with the Saints.

The Seahawks offense shined in the second half of last season with Wilson playing at an MVP level. It remains to be seen whether Graham can benefit from Wilson’s improvement and proven ability to take over games. The Seahawks progressively became a more pass-happy offense, and Wilson threw for 25 touchdowns against one interception in his last seven games.

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Graham is not the only Seahawks offensive player dealing with an injury, though. Rookie offensive lineman Germain Ifedi is still questionable with an ankle sprain. The No. 32 overall pick in the 2016 draft is expected to miss time and have his NFL debut delayed. Fortunately, Wilson has an uncanny ability to scramble and mask his offensive line’s flaws. Having Graham back will only help his cause.