A few weeks back the Bears released cornerback Kyle Fuller, much to the benefit of the Denver Broncos, who immediately signed him. Chicago needed the cap room, so they didn't have much choice in the matter. But it's harder to explain why they still have Jimmy Graham on their roster.
Graham carries a $10 million cap hit for 2021, and the team would save $7 million by releasing him. They drafted Cole Kmet in the second round a year ago, and he should be ready to do more in his second season.
But Graham is still on the roster. He's 34 years old, and while he's played every game the last four seasons, he hasn't made much of an impact. Seattle and Green Bay have moved on readily from him in that time period. Chicago hasn't.
In each of those four years, Graham has caught at least 35 passes. There have been 93 such 35-catch seasons by a tight end in that time frame. In each of those years, Graham averaged just 2-3 receptions per game; once he made it up 3.6, which rounds up to 4. But a pretty minimal impact compared to all the other tight ends who were part of the passing game in those years. Graham slots down with mostly backups or in offenses that didn't throw much to the tight end. This a player who in his first four years as a starter averaged 5-6 receptions per game each season, which ranked up with the league’s top tight ends.
TIGHT ENDS, RECEPTIONS PER GAME, 2017-2020 (35+ CATCHES) | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | G | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD | Rec/G |
2018 | Zach Ertz, Phil. | 16 | 156 | 116 | 1163 | 8 | 7.3 |
2020 | Travis Kelce, K.C. | 15 | 145 | 105 | 1416 | 11 | 7.0 |
2020 | Darren Waller, L.V. | 16 | 145 | 107 | 1196 | 9 | 6.7 |
2018 | Travis Kelce, K.C. | 16 | 150 | 103 | 1336 | 10 | 6.4 |
2019 | George Kittle, S.F. | 14 | 107 | 85 | 1053 | 5 | 6.1 |
2019 | Travis Kelce, K.C. | 16 | 136 | 97 | 1229 | 5 | 6.1 |
2020 | George Kittle, S.F. | 8 | 63 | 48 | 634 | 2 | 6.0 |
2019 | Zach Ertz, Phil. | 15 | 135 | 88 | 916 | 6 | 5.9 |
2019 | Austin Hooper, Atl. | 13 | 97 | 75 | 787 | 6 | 5.8 |
2019 | Darren Waller, Oak. | 16 | 117 | 90 | 1145 | 3 | 5.6 |
2017 | Travis Kelce, K.C. | 15 | 122 | 83 | 1038 | 8 | 5.5 |
2018 | George Kittle, S.F. | 16 | 136 | 88 | 1377 | 5 | 5.5 |
2019 | Evan Engram, NYG | 8 | 68 | 44 | 467 | 3 | 5.5 |
2017 | Jack Doyle, Ind. | 15 | 108 | 80 | 690 | 4 | 5.3 |
2017 | Zach Ertz, Phil. | 14 | 110 | 74 | 824 | 8 | 5.3 |
2017 | Rob Gronkowski, N.E. | 14 | 105 | 69 | 1084 | 8 | 4.9 |
2017 | Delanie Walker, Ten. | 16 | 111 | 74 | 807 | 3 | 4.6 |
2019 | Tyler Higbee, LAR | 15 | 89 | 69 | 734 | 3 | 4.6 |
2019 | Hunter Henry, LAC | 12 | 76 | 55 | 652 | 5 | 4.6 |
2020 | Logan Thomas, Was. | 16 | 110 | 72 | 670 | 6 | 4.5 |
2018 | Austin Hooper, Atl. | 16 | 88 | 71 | 660 | 4 | 4.4 |
2020 | Hunter Henry, LAC | 14 | 93 | 60 | 613 | 4 | 4.3 |
2019 | Mark Andrews, Balt. | 15 | 98 | 64 | 852 | 10 | 4.3 |
2017 | Evan Engram, NYG | 15 | 115 | 64 | 722 | 6 | 4.3 |
2018 | Jared Cook, Oak. | 16 | 101 | 68 | 896 | 6 | 4.3 |
2020 | T.J. Hockenson, Det. | 16 | 101 | 67 | 723 | 6 | 4.2 |
2020 | Dallas Goedert, Phil. | 11 | 65 | 46 | 524 | 3 | 4.2 |
2018 | Jordan Reed, Was. | 13 | 84 | 54 | 558 | 2 | 4.2 |
2020 | Mark Andrews, Balt. | 14 | 88 | 58 | 701 | 7 | 4.1 |
2020 | Noah Fant, Den. | 15 | 93 | 62 | 673 | 3 | 4.1 |
2018 | Eric Ebron, Ind. | 16 | 110 | 66 | 750 | 13 | 4.1 |
2018 | Evan Engram, NYG | 11 | 64 | 45 | 577 | 3 | 4.1 |
2018 | Kyle Rudolph, Min. | 16 | 82 | 64 | 634 | 4 | 4.0 |
2020 | Dalton Schultz, Dall. | 16 | 89 | 63 | 615 | 4 | 3.9 |
2020 | Evan Engram, NYG | 16 | 109 | 63 | 654 | 1 | 3.9 |
2019 | Jason Witten, Dall. | 16 | 83 | 63 | 529 | 4 | 3.9 |
2017 | Jason Witten, Dall. | 16 | 87 | 63 | 560 | 5 | 3.9 |
2019 | Dallas Goedert, Phil. | 15 | 87 | 58 | 607 | 5 | 3.9 |
2017 | Austin Seferian-Jenkins, NYJ | 13 | 74 | 50 | 357 | 3 | 3.8 |
2017 | Benjamin Watson, Balt. | 16 | 79 | 61 | 522 | 4 | 3.8 |
2017 | Charles Clay, Buff. | 13 | 74 | 49 | 558 | 2 | 3.8 |
2020 | Eric Ebron, Pitt. | 15 | 91 | 56 | 558 | 5 | 3.7 |
2019 | Jacob Hollister, Sea. | 11 | 59 | 41 | 349 | 3 | 3.7 |
2019 | Greg Olsen, Car. | 14 | 82 | 52 | 597 | 2 | 3.7 |
2018 | Rob Gronkowski, N.E. | 13 | 72 | 47 | 682 | 3 | 3.6 |
2017 | Jimmy Graham, Sea. | 16 | 96 | 57 | 520 | 10 | 3.6 |
2017 | Kyle Rudolph, Min. | 16 | 81 | 57 | 532 | 8 | 3.6 |
2020 | Austin Hooper, Cle. | 13 | 70 | 46 | 435 | 4 | 3.5 |
2020 | Mike Gesicki, Mia. | 15 | 85 | 53 | 703 | 6 | 3.5 |
2020 | Hayden Hurst, Atl. | 16 | 88 | 56 | 571 | 6 | 3.5 |
2018 | David Njoku, Cle. | 16 | 88 | 56 | 639 | 4 | 3.5 |
2018 | Jimmy Graham, G.B. | 16 | 89 | 55 | 636 | 2 | 3.4 |
2018 | Trey Burton, Chi. | 16 | 76 | 54 | 569 | 6 | 3.4 |
2017 | Jared Cook, Oak. | 16 | 86 | 54 | 688 | 2 | 3.4 |
2018 | Vance McDonald, Pitt. | 15 | 72 | 50 | 610 | 4 | 3.3 |
2017 | Eric Ebron, Det. | 16 | 86 | 53 | 574 | 4 | 3.3 |
2020 | Zach Ertz, Phil. | 11 | 72 | 36 | 335 | 1 | 3.3 |
2020 | Robert Tonyan, G.B. | 16 | 59 | 52 | 586 | 11 | 3.3 |
2017 | Hunter Henry, LAC | 14 | 62 | 45 | 579 | 4 | 3.2 |
2019 | Mike Gesicki, Mia. | 16 | 89 | 51 | 570 | 5 | 3.2 |
2020 | Jimmy Graham, Chi. | 16 | 76 | 50 | 456 | 8 | 3.1 |
2019 | Jared Cook, N.O. | 14 | 65 | 43 | 705 | 9 | 3.1 |
2017 | Austin Hooper, Atl. | 16 | 65 | 49 | 526 | 3 | 3.1 |
2017 | Cameron Brate, T.B. | 16 | 77 | 48 | 591 | 6 | 3.0 |
2020 | Tyler Higbee, LAR | 15 | 60 | 44 | 521 | 5 | 2.9 |
2017 | Julius Thomas, Mia. | 14 | 62 | 41 | 388 | 3 | 2.9 |
2017 | George Kittle, S.F. | 15 | 63 | 43 | 515 | 2 | 2.9 |
2020 | Jordan Akins, Hou. | 13 | 49 | 37 | 403 | 1 | 2.8 |
2019 | Gerald Everett, LAR | 13 | 60 | 37 | 408 | 2 | 2.8 |
2020 | Rob Gronkowski, T.B. | 16 | 77 | 45 | 623 | 7 | 2.8 |
2020 | Jonnu Smith, Ten. | 15 | 65 | 41 | 448 | 8 | 2.7 |
2019 | Vance McDonald, Pitt. | 14 | 55 | 38 | 273 | 3 | 2.7 |
2019 | Jack Doyle, Ind. | 16 | 72 | 43 | 448 | 4 | 2.7 |
2019 | Tyler Eifert, Cin. | 16 | 63 | 43 | 436 | 3 | 2.7 |
2018 | C.J. Uzomah, Cin. | 16 | 64 | 43 | 439 | 3 | 2.7 |
2017 | Vernon Davis, Was. | 16 | 69 | 43 | 648 | 3 | 2.7 |
2017 | Jesse James, Pitt. | 16 | 63 | 43 | 372 | 3 | 2.7 |
2017 | Tyler Kroft, Cin. | 16 | 62 | 42 | 404 | 7 | 2.6 |
2020 | Gerald Everett, LAR | 16 | 62 | 41 | 417 | 1 | 2.6 |
2020 | Drew Sample, Cin. | 16 | 53 | 40 | 349 | 1 | 2.5 |
2019 | Noah Fant, Den. | 16 | 66 | 40 | 562 | 3 | 2.5 |
2020 | Jared Cook, N.O. | 15 | 60 | 37 | 504 | 7 | 2.5 |
2020 | Anthony Firkser, Ten. | 16 | 53 | 39 | 387 | 1 | 2.4 |
2019 | Kyle Rudolph, Min. | 16 | 48 | 39 | 367 | 6 | 2.4 |
2018 | Chris Herndon, NYJ | 16 | 56 | 39 | 502 | 4 | 2.4 |
2020 | Tyler Eifert, Jac. | 15 | 60 | 36 | 349 | 2 | 2.4 |
2019 | Jimmy Graham, G.B. | 16 | 60 | 38 | 447 | 3 | 2.4 |
2019 | Cameron Brate, T.B. | 16 | 55 | 36 | 311 | 4 | 2.3 |
2019 | Jordan Akins, Hou. | 16 | 55 | 36 | 418 | 2 | 2.3 |
2019 | Irv Smith, Min. | 16 | 47 | 36 | 311 | 2 | 2.3 |
2018 | Ian Thomas, Car. | 16 | 49 | 36 | 333 | 2 | 2.3 |
2019 | Jonnu Smith, Ten. | 16 | 44 | 35 | 439 | 3 | 2.2 |
2018 | Benjamin Watson, N.O. | 16 | 46 | 35 | 400 | 2 | 2.2 |
Merely showing up counts for something. Graham has been healthy and available, which is nice. But he hasn't been an impact player; definitely isn't worth what the Bears are paying him. Hard to figure why Ryan Pace hasn't moved on yet.
--Andy Richardson