Jimmy Graham was underwhelming for the Packers in 2018, but his window of opportunity in Green Bay doesn’t appear to be closed yet.
It’s difficult to sugarcoat the 2018 season for the Green Bay Packers. Instead of improving on their 7-9 record from a year ago, the Packers stumbled to a 6-9-1 campaign and missed the playoffs for the second straight season.
And for tight end Jimmy Graham, it wasn’t exactly an ideal first season in Green Bay.
The 32-year-old was brought in because quarterback Aaron Rodgers needed some weapons, especially after losing longtime target Jordy Nelson to the Oakland Raiders, but Graham recorded just 55 receptions for 636 yards and only a mere two touchdowns.
But things are changing for the Packers as they head into the 2019 season, with a new head coach, and the part about Rodgers needing some weapons certainly hasn’t changed.
Thus, it makes sense why they would want to bring Graham back for one more season, essentially giving him a second chance to make an impact.
After starting last season at just 4-7-1, the Packers made a huge organizational decision by firing head coach Mike McCarthy, who had coached the team since 2006 and led them to victory in Super Bowl XLV.
But it was evident that Green Bay needed a new leader as McCarthy was struggling to utilize Rodgers, arguably the best quarterback in football, to his full potential.
The Packers are hoping that new coach Matt LaFleur will turn that around. If Rodgers gets back to playing at an MVP level, Green Bay should see a significant increase in production from Graham, who should benefit greatly from playing with one of the game’s best.
Though Graham may have lost a step over the last few years, he was once regarded as one of the top tight ends in the NFL. With a new coach, an all-time great quarterback and a second chance in a devoted football town, 2019 could be a big year for the veteran tight end.