Jimmy Graham's Contract With Bears is Somehow Even Worse Than We Thought

Entering the start of free agency, the Chicago Bears were reportedly all-in on tight end Austin Hooper, but lost out to the Cleveland Browns. In response, the Bears made the questionable decision to sign former Green Bay Packers tight end Jimmy Graham to a two-year deal. Now, the details of said contract makes the signing even worse.

Graham will be receiving a grand total of $16 million, $9 million of which is guaranteed ($6 million signing bonus, $3 million guaranteed in 2020). To make matters even worse, the Bears actually gave Graham a no-trade clause.

Really, Bears? You had to give Graham the power to decline a trade on a two-year contract? If this was the Jimmy Graham of old (i.e. his New Orleans Saints days), then we'd understand. But this is a 33-year old who's on a decline. Just look at his statistics the past two years with the Green Bay Packers:

• 2018: Caught 55-of-89 targets for 642 yards and two touchdowns
• 2019: Caught 38-of-60 targets for 447 yards and three touchdowns

It's important to note that Graham was active for every game in his two-year tenure in a Packers uniform. This isn't a player that deserves a no-trade clause. Nor does he deserve to be the third-highest paid tight end in 2020. Unreal.

We shouldn't be shocked by this from the Bears. This is the same organization who traded a bevy of draft picks to move up one spot to select eventual-bust Mitchell Trubisky in 2017 and paid quarterback Mike Glennon an exorbitant $45 million contract.

Given their track record, the Bears can never get out of their own way.