http://whodatdish.com/2016/01/30/new...iew-max-unger/
You could maybe say that center Max Unger had a quiet season for the New Orleans Saints, but that doesn’t mean his impact wasn’t felt. The trade that shocked the entire football world involved Unger and the Seattle Seahawks first round draft pick come to New Orleans for tight end Jimmy Graham. At first, fans were beside themselves. Honestly, a center for an All-Pro tight end?
However, it wasn’t just any center. Unger was one of the league’s best, and had been fairly consistent since entering the league in 2009. We really saw the bigger picture of Unger’s impact when ESPN’s Brian Burke acknowledge the Seahawks’ offensive line struggles without him in the mix.
Unger committed only two penalties in 2015, which was a false start and offensive holding to be specific. Unger was the true ‘Iron Man’ of the New Orleans Saints squad, playing in 99.8 percent of the offensive snaps. That’s right, Unger missed only two snaps out of 1,184 total. That’s just incredible.
As far as protecting quarterback Drew Brees, Unger allowed only one sack and one hit all season. Per Pro Football Focus, Unger finished as the league’s fifth highest center in pass blocking efficiency with a 98.4 rating. Unger finished 2015 with a +4.6 overall grade, which was highlighted by a +5.9 in pass blocking.
The Saints ended up being on the winning side of the trade from last March. Unger, and not to mention Stephone Anthony (originally Seattle’s 31st overall pick), both added plenty of value to the New Orleans Saints. Ultimately, protecting Drew Brees in what’s likely the last years of his playing career takes precedence, and Unger is the right guy for the job.