Getty Jimmy Graham #80 of the Green Bay Packers makes a catch against Jimmie Ward #20 of the San Francisco 49ers during the second half of the NFC Championship game at Levi's Stadium on January 19, 2020 in Santa Clara, California.
The Green Bay Packers will need a new starting tight end for next season.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Packers are expected to release Jimmy Graham on Thursday in a move that was somewhat expected after the former five-time Pro Bowler failed to produce worthwhile numbers for a second straight year in Green Bay. He finished the 2019 season with 38 catches for 447 receiving yards — his lowest numbers since his 2010 rookie season.
The Packers made Graham’s release official early Thursday afternoon, per the NFL transactions.
The last 2 years have certainly been interesting! A lot of memories, friendships and humbling moments that I will carry with me into the next opportunity. Thank you for the support during our exciting run this year toward that ever so elusive ring. ✌🏽
Graham was once a star-studded tight end for both the New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks, but he never managed to replicate the same type of production during two seasons with the Packers. He made 93 receptions on 149 targets with only five of those catches resulting in touchdowns.
Graham’s contract — which made him the NFL’s highest-paid tight end at an average of $10 million per season — was not set to expire until next year, but the Packers cutting him early allows them to save about $8 million in cap space for the offseason. He is now an unrestricted free agent.
The Packers have been rumored to have an interest in acquiring Atlanta Falcons tight end Austin Hooper, who would be a younger upgrade with a strong pass-catching background. Hooper finished the 2019 season with 75 catches for 787 yards, significantly outpacing Graham, but he could end up costing too much for the Packers with other offseason needs to address.
The Packers could also be planning to move forward with Jace Sternberger in Graham’s place. The 2019 third-round draft pick spent most of his rookie season on injured reserve but showed promise down the stretch as he finally began to find his footing.
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Graham Never Delivered on Promise
The 33-year-old tight end seemed like a promising option for the Packers on goal-line and third-down situations when they inked him to a three-year, $30 million contract in 2018, but concerns were already swirling after Year 1 left much to be desired.
Even Graham acknowledged 2018 “was not a good year” with an offseason promise that things would be better during his follow-up season when speaking with local reporters last summer:
“I’m completely focused on putting my best foot forward and being the player that I am: Scoring in the red zone and being that big threat on third down,” Graham said, via Kelly Price of NBC 26 Green Bay in June 2019. “I mean, I gotta get back to that. And I take it serious. It’s something that east at me every single day, no making the playoff and sometimes not making the plays that I should have. So you better believe I’m gonna be ready.”
They were nice words, but they never materialized even as the Packers offense searched for someone to step up and help star wide receiver Davante Adams in the passing game. Other than showing up for a big play here and there, Graham delivered forgettable numbers as Green Bay surged to 14 wins and ran as far as the NFC Championship game.
Graham caught for more than 50 yards in three games, but he also finished six more games with one or fewer receptions. It could somewhat easily be argued that fellow veteran Marcedes Lewis — playing on a one-year, $2.1 million deal — contributed more for the offense as a blocker, despite being the lesser option in the passing game.
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