The first year of the Matt LaFleur era was a success, as the Green Bay Packers finished the regular season 13-3, clinched the NFC North title and made their way to the NFC Championship game. Now that we are entering the offseason, the Packers will focus on improving for 2020, which includes ways to separate from players who have been on the list for several seasons.
Wednesday afternoon, Ian Rapoport of the NFL network reported that the Packers should not bring in tight end Jimmy Graham. Rapoport goes on to say that this decision with the 33-year-old man is not a surprise to anyone involved. In Graham’s second season with the Packers, he caught 38 passes for 447 yards and three touchdowns. He never really started in Green Bay, having recorded 55 catches for 636 yards and two touchdowns last year.
What is interesting is that Graham is not a free agent, he is still under contract for the 2020 season and has a base salary of $ 7.45 million according to Spotrac. Prior to the 2018 season, Graham signed a $ 30 million, three-year contract after spending three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks.
Formerly considered one of the NFL’s top records, Graham has yet to match some of the figures he had put together earlier in his career with the New Orleans Saints. In three seasons, from 2011 to 2013, Graham recorded two seasons of 1,000 yards and 36 touchdowns on reception. He was traded to the Seahawks before the 2015 season for center Max Unger and the Seahawks’ first round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.
It remains to be seen whether teams would be interested in swapping for a 33-year-old who is expected to be one of the highest paid at his job in 2020 – especially considering some of the players ready to hit the free agency this offseason. The Packers may be forced to release him and wear a dead cap next year.
All things considered, Graham is a successful veteran in this league who has not missed a game in four seasons. Teams may be interested in him at a cheaper price.