Bear Goggles On
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Rumor: Jimmy Graham Possibly A Cap Cut Casualty…Should Bears Bite?

By Johnny Hatelak

Nov 29, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham (88) reacts after making a reception to convert a third down against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 29, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham (88) reacts after making a reception to convert a third down against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /
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It’s no secret Jimmy Graham had a disappointing first season with the Seattle Seahawks.  That, coupled with the fact that Graham is coming off a major surgery at 29-years of age has led to speculation that perhaps the Seahawks may decide to go another direction. There are rumors that speculate the Seahawks could be preparing to cut Graham and save that $9 million dollar cap space. Keep in mind there were also rumors earlier this offseason of Graham being traded to the Chicago Bears for Martellus Bennett before they traded Bennett to the New England Patriots for a draft pick back in March.

Compounding the speculation is that the Seahawks drafted former Ohio State tight end Nick Vannett who is a promising looking prospect who plays a different type of way than Graham does. Graham is not the most physical guy out there. Vannett seeks contact which kind of fits in more with the Seahawks bruising style of football.

More from Bear Goggles On

Many Bears fans and more than a few media members feel the Bears are still deficient at the tight end position. Many felt the Bears should have made tight end a priority in this year’s draft. As most know, the Bears didn’t address the position until shortly after the draft when they signed two very intriguing undrafted prospects who appear to be more flex types rather than inline traditional “Y” tight ends.

Many feel that after trading away Bennett, the Bears are in need of a two way tight end who can block with physicality as well as threaten the seam as a receiver. Many fear Zack Miller will not withstand a full season and his history of injuries support that concern. Many also feel he profiles more as an H-back type who can flex out as a receiver and cause mismatches in sub packages as opposed to an every down workhorse tight end. Clearly the Bears organization differs in this opinion and intends on putting it to the test.

In my opinion, the Bears have some very interesting talent to develop behind Miller. The Bears traded for Khari Lee last season and he has an interesting skill set. The Bears clearly thought enough of him to actually give up an asset (2017 sixth round pick) to acquire him, despite the fact that he was an undrafted signing by the Houston Texans. Expect him to get a fair shot at making this roster.

Lee will be in a fight with three other prospects who I really like. Most of the Bears tight ends are great athletes. Rob Housler’s measureables would be among the top of all the tight ends in this draft class.

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Realistic tight end option that makes most sense but nobody is talking about for Buccaneers
Realistic tight end option that makes most sense but nobody is talking about for Buccaneers /

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    • Marcus Lucas is a relative unknown and might have most Bears fans scurrying to their computers to look this guy up. Well let me save you the trouble. You can read more about Lucas here, by following this draft profile link. As you can see from these meaureables he has mismatch H-back ability in the passing game.

    The Bears also signed two priority college free agents Joe Sommers out of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, and the more heralded Ben Braunecker out of Harvard. Both are very similar to each other in playing style. Both play a physical brand of football who love to block and have very good athleticism as pass catchers. Braunecker is really athletic; he had the highest SPARQ (Speed, Power, Agility, Reaction and Quickness) score out of all tight ends in this class.

    The Bears also switched now former defensive lineman Greg Scruggs a mountain of a man who clearly impressed with his ability to move his feet at 6’3″ 310. There is another large tight end, Gannon Sinclair, who at 6’7″ 270 will compete with Scruggs as the teams blocking tight end and with that height if he shows any hands at all may help his cause as a possible red zone target.

    With these prospects in mind, the Bears situation may not be as dire as some would like you to think it is. These players are all intriguing and bring a lot to the table. I know Bears fans probably lay awake at night giddy at the thought of watching Graham snatch bullet passes from the arm of Jay Cutler for big plays downfield.

    However I don’t see him as a fit with what this team wants from their players. The Bears want physical football players first and foremost and Graham is certainly far from that. As former Bear tight end Bennett so eloquently put it, “You see Jimmy [Graham]. Jimmy can’t block worth [expletive].” Even if the Seahawks do end up releasing Graham, don’t hold your breath waiting for the Bears to pick him up.

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