What is the breakdown of the Jimmy Graham contract with the Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears signed Jimmy Graham to a two-year deal worth $16 million deal. However, that deal only includes $9 million in guaranteed money. When breaking down the reality of this deal, it is a one-year, $9 million deal with an option for the remaining $7 million the following year.
The average annual salary for both years will be $8 million. Depending on the signing bonus, the cap hit for the first year will be close to that $8 million mark. The following year will come with a $1 million dead cap hit, or more if Graham gets a bigger signing bonus, but additional cap relief would come. The difference between the signing bonus and the first-year savings would be the additional dead cap. Still, it will not move the needle. If the Bears want to move on after one year, they will save money.
We may not see the full details of the signing bonus with the COVID-19 precautions currently going on. Still, that is going to be the overall structure of the contract.
When looking at the highest-paid contracts at tight end, Jimmy Graham ranks 6th in the NFL, behind just Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper, Travis Kelce, Kyle Rudolph, and Zach Ertz. Greg Olsen, who signed a contract a few weeks prior is making $7 on average, one million less than Graham.
He currently has the same average annual value as Trey Burton. Will the Bears go into the league with two of the highest-paid tight ends in the NFL on their roster?