NFL Trade Rumors: Analyzing Latest Reports on Jimmy Graham, Duane Brown

The latest round of rumors are brought to you by the Seattle Seahawks ahead of the 4 p.m. ET Tuesday trade deadline.

We'll start at tight end. On Sunday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported that the Seahawks were willing to trade tight end Jimmy Graham (h/t Kevin Patra of NFL.com).

There were two potential reasons for that consideration. First, to help clear cap space. But secondly, Graham was supposedly an asset they would be willing to move to upgrade at offensive tackle.

Later in the day, however, the Seahawks vociferously refuted that report. Head coach Pete Carroll had a few choice words about the rumor, per Michael Silver of NFL.com:

"We talk about this all the time that we're in as many deals as we can possibly can be in, so we're listening to every scenario we possibly can, and what I can tell you is Jimmy's not being traded," general manager John Schneider told Steve Raible of 710 ESPN Seattle (h/t Brent Stecker of MyNorthwest.com). "He'll be here."

Even cornerback Richard Sherman chimed in after the team's 41-38 win over the Houston Texans on Sunday, noting Graham played well amid the rumors and commending Carroll and Schneider for denying the "fake reports," per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.

While Graham has never quite replicated the elite production he posted for the New Orleans Saints earlier in his career during his Seahawks tenure, he was a force on Sunday, catching four passes for 39 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner.

When the Seahawks are utilizing Graham to create mismatches and targeting him in the red zone, he's capable of being a major game-changer for the offense. Given the team's struggles in the run game, having as many weapons as possible for Russell Wilson in the passing game is ideal.

And on that front, keeping Wilson upright is just as important. As for the team's desire to add an offensive tackle, Rapoport linked them to Houston Texans tackle Duane Brown:

The rumor isn't new: Several general managers around the NFL told Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com on Oct. 15 that they expected the Seahawks to make a move for Brown.

And during ESPN's broadcast of NFL Live on Monday afternoon, Adam Schefter said a Brown trade wasn't a long shot and noted that several teams had inquired, including the Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles, who are likely in the market for a tackle after Jason Peters was lost for the season.

Peter King of The MMQB addressed the Seahawks links to Brown during his weekly "Monday Morning Quarterback" column:

"The Seahawks are snug up against the salary cap, and if they want Brown, they may have to redo Brown's deal and redo some of their own contracts. That's, of course, if Schneider can find a deal to satisfy the Texans by the 4 p.m. ET trade deadline Tuesday. My money's on Schneider. ...

"To beat Philadelphia's outstanding front seven, Schneider knows he might have to go get a tackle by Tuesday's deadline. Joe Staley's overpriced in San Francisco (and suffered a reported suborbital fracture under his right eye on Sunday), and Cordy Glenn not likely to be freed up in Buffalo. It might be Brown or Colt Anthony Castonzo ... and Brown's better. We shall see."

Brown, for his part, isn't sweating the rumors.

"Yeah, I don't pay too much attention to that stuff," he told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. "When I come into work, I come into work with my guys and that's the mentality that I have."

But Brown likely wouldn't hate a change of scenery. He just ended a holdout over a contract dispute with the team, and he was vocally critical of owner Bob McNair's now-infamous and ill-advised "inmates" comment—which caused major unrest in the Texans locker room—and other comments and situations regarding McNair in the past.

Brown would be a major upgrade at tackle for the Seahawks, and the Texans may be growing weary with the tackle given his holdout and public outspokenness about McNair. The deal may be complicated, however, given Seattle's need to shed some salary and apparent unwillingness to move Graham. If Seattle wins the Brown sweepstakes, that is.

But where there's smoke, there's fire, and there has been smoke around a potential Brown-to-Seattle move for some time. Don't be surprised if Brown gets his change of scenery.