The Green Bay Packers aren’t expected to retain Jimmy Graham in 2020, per NFL Network. Could the New Orleans Saints explore a reunion?
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Here’s a blast from the past: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that tight end Jimmy Graham is not expected to return to the Green Bay Packers, meaning that a release is likely in the cards. The Packers can create $8 million in salary cap space by cutting or trading Graham. So, we have to ask: could he make up with the New Orleans Saints?
Graham’s trade to the Seattle Seahawks back in 2015 sent a shockwave throughout the NFL, and was the culmination in a fractured relationship with the Saints. Graham bristled at Saints coach Sean Payton’s involvement in franchise tag arbitration hearings, and coaches in turn grew frustrated with Graham’s inconsistent effort level in games late in his tenure. It’s a shame that things ended on such a sour note after his star-studded debut, having caught 54 touchdowns in 82 games with the Saints (including the playoffs).
The big tight end dealt with injuries and struggled to make an impact in the run-first Seahawks offense, reeling in just 19 touchdown passes in 45 games despite being paired with Russell Wilson. His performance continued to trail off in Green Bay, connecting with Aaron Rodgers on just five scoring plays in 36 games. Touchdowns aren’t everything, but in this case, they’re emblematic of Graham’s decline. By every measure, Graham is probably nearing the end of the road in the NFL.
But we shouldn’t dismiss the idea that the Saints might give him another shot. They were interested in Graham before the 2018 season (though he ultimately signed with the Packers), suggesting that the hatchet’s been buried, the beef has been squashed, and amends have been made. Or close to it.
The Saints have brought back a number of retreads later in their careers in the Sean Payton era, including Graham’s former mentor, Ben Watson. Others included Robert Meachem, Patrick Robinson, Chase Daniel, Jonathan Goodwin, Stephone Anthony, Manti Te’o, and Jahri Evans (who also shared a cup of coffee with the Packers). Graham returning for a year would follow that pattern.
However, the role he might play wouldn’t resemble the one-man highlight reel fans remember. Graham would be a luxury addition as a third-stringer behind Josh Hill (40.6 snaps per game in 2019) and Jared Cook (35.9 snaps per game), classified somewhere between a veteran band-aid and a situational “break glass in case of red zone drill” option. Graham doesn’t offer much as a blocker, and he struggles to stretch the field vertically after a series of lower-leg and foot injuries. But his one-of-a-kind catch radius could pair well with Drew Brees’ accuracy, especially when the field shrinks down inside the opposing 20-yard line.
So, this is a situation to monitor. In a perfect world, the Saints would land a young, athletic tight end who can pick up Hill’s blocking-oriented playbook in 2020 before replacing Cook as the primary receiving threat in 2021 (when Cook’s two-year contract is set to expire), like, say, LSU prospect Thaddeus Moss. But that’s not something they can count on, and it might be smart to add Graham as a veteran experienced in their system until that long-term fix is identified. As long as Graham is willing to accept such a bit part in the offense, and at the right price, of course.
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