By: Jake Rajala

The Cincinnati Bengals are an AFC juggernaut with the fifth-most cap space in the NFL. Zac Taylor could utilize his creative juices in May by inking one of the shiny free agents available. The Bengals could still benefit from the arrival of a cornerback or even another underrated offensive weapon. With that said, I’m going to untwine a few FA profiles that would be superb fits for Cincy.

• Joe Haden

The Bengals young head coach shouldn’t let the Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel sign every quality FA on the planet or allow Joe Haden to reunite with the Browns. The Bengals might have an overly impressive WR trio (Ja’Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd, and Tee Higgins), but they ought to boost their pass defense. I firmly believe that Eli Apple is underrated (to say the least), but Haden would be an upgrade over Apple and a fine partner to Chidobe Awuzie, who was named to PFF’s All-Pro team.

• Akiem Hicks

The explosive big fella Akiem Hicks can terrorize opposing signal-callers next to Trey Hendrickson and B.J. Hill. Hicks is still a talented DL and he showed that in nine games last season (3.5 sacks and 9 QB hits). Hicks would really help the Bengals pass rush against Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, and other top-notch AFC QBs.

• Ndamukong Suh

I believe the Bengals would make a lot of sense for the fearless defender Ndamukong Suh. The Super Bowl-winning DE/DT can have a strong chance to win his second SB ring with the Bengals. The former Lions DL that has only missed two games in his career would be more affordable than a FA like Jadeveon Clowney for the Bengals, too.

• Jimmy Graham

I will be honest – Jimmy Graham is a bit washed up. I still believe he can be a mismatch for opposing defenses and he could be a nice TE2 behind Hayden Hurst. The TE with 11 touchdowns in the past two seasons combined could be a sneaky weapon for Joe Burrow in big-time showdowns.

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By: Jake Rajala

The New Orleans Saints drafted Jimmy Graham in the third round of the 2010 draft. Graham was more than a pleasant surprise in his time as a Saint. The former Saints TE unveiled 99 receptions (career-high), 1,310 yards (career-high), and 11 receiving touchdowns in his second season in the NFL. Graham progressed and unleashed an All-Pro season in 2013, where he registered 16 touchdowns with 1,215 yards.

Graham was shipped out of the Big Easy in the 2015 offseason and started a new journey as a Seattle Seahawk. Graham didn’t have his older brother Drew Brees in Seattle, but it didn’t stop him from making his mark in Seattle. Graham ousted 65 receptions and 923 yards in year one as a Seahawk. Those stats were both franchise records at the TE position in the rainy city. The former college football and college basketball stud would spend two years in Green Bay (2018, 2019) and then play the last two seasons in the NFC North for the Chicago Bears.

Graham is 35 years old, but I certainly believe he can be a red-zone threat and modest receiving threat down the seam in the right scheme. Furthermore, I believe he can find the right scheme in a familiar place: New Orleans. It wouldn’t only be poetic if Jimmy returned to his roots, but I believe they need his skillset.

Jimmy Graham might have had his worst season in his career in 2021, but it was largely due to the Bears having a disaster offense as a whole. In 2020, Graham unleashed 8 touchdowns. Since 2014, Graham has only had two seasons of 8+ touchdowns (2017, 2020). He may not be burning defenses for 20+ yard catches at this stage in his career, but he still can be a challenge to guard in the red zone.

The Saints starting TE Adam Trautman has been a bust for Who Dat Nation thus far. He’s recorded a mere 434 yards and three touchdowns in the past two seasons. He also takes the phrase “Butterfingers” to a whole new level, as he caught 27 of 43 targets last season. Taysom Hill has also caught a whopping one touchdown in the last two seasons combined. The Saints have been aching for a reliable TE, particularly a TE that can consistently catch passes and moss defenders for six points.

The Saints don’t have Sean Payton calling the shots, but they do still have General Manager Mickey Loomis and Offensive Coordinator, Pete Carmichael, in town. Loomis was the GM that drafted Graham and Carmichael was the Saints OC when Graham first played in a Black and Gold uniform. It’s also been recently noted that Graham wished he never left the Saints and the establishment that first gave him an opportunity.

Dennis Allen, who is the new ring leader in town, needs to get creative this offseason and lobby for players that aren’t pricey. The Saints are buried in cap hell, as they are ranked dead last in the league. The Saints realistically can’t obtain weapons like Michael Gallup, JuJu Smith Schuster, and Robert Gronkowski. They will need to find under-the-radar players for potentially QB Jameis Winston and find ways for the cheaper acquisitions to outperform their expectations. Graham should be looking at a lower-end picture of $4-5 million per season at this stage in his career.

If the Saints can’t find a TE or big body WR that is a good long-term fit or player worth a heftier price tag, they should consider calling Graham to return home. Graham could be a smart addition that can be a nice veteran presence and slot weapon across from the hungry Michael Thomas.

The post Why the Saints and Jimmy Graham should reunite appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Tayyib Abu

It seems as if Jimmy Graham’s NFL career is in its final stages. The big tight end is now 34-years-old and his best days are firmly behind him. In the modern era of tight ends, Graham flies under the radar.

In a world with Gronkowski, Gates, Kelce, Kittle and others, Graham often gets forgotten by members of the NFL cognoscenti. The names above are almost certainly heading to the Hall of Fame; it is time to examine Jimmy Graham’s Hall of Fame credentials.

The Case for Graham in the Hall of Fame

Only nine tight ends feature in the Pro Football Hall of Fame; it is challenging to get in. Given that Graham is still playing and many Hall of Fame ballot worthy tight ends ahead of him, he could face a long wait to get a gold jacket. Nevertheless, it is worth examining his career to see what could happen.

The most recent tight end inducted into the HOF was Tony Gonzalez. The former Chiefs and Falcons player’s resume had four seasons where he breached the 1000 yard receiving mark. Graham has two seasons in his career where he broke the 1000 yard barrier.

To be fair to Graham, he is a slightly different tight end. While the tight end was in New Orleans, Graham became one of Drew Brees’ favourite red-zone targets. Graham holds multiple double-digit touchdown seasons, in fact, he has more than Gonzalez.

Furthermore, Graham’s career yards per reception figure of 11.9 is higher than Gonzalez’s 11.4. Add those numbers to the style of Graham; he plays like a hybrid style NBA power forward. Graham is another receiver; labeling him as just a tight end is unfair. On those numbers, there is a solid case for Jimmy Graham getting in the Hall of Fame.

The Case Against Graham in the Hall of Fame

Compared to Gonzalez’s career, Graham’s features a massive level of inconsistency. In 2015, Graham notched only two touchdowns in an 11 game season. Ignoring his first two years in the NFL, Gonzalez then posted a two-touchdown season once. Again, after his first two seasons, Gonalez went 11 seasons in a row where he totaled over 600 yards receiving.

Graham has three seasons under 600, while in another season, he got to 605. The alarming inconsistencies blight Graham’s career. Another stat not in favor of Graham is the catch percentage. His career number is 64.4%. Gonzalez’s is 65.9%. At times, Graham has been a serial dropper; it is another thing that will count against him in the Hall of Fame debate.

The Bottom Line

With the queue of tight ends ahead of him and the erratic nature of his career, Jimmy Graham is not a Hall of Famer right now. His career features some high spots and some low moments. There is no doubt that Graham has Hall of Fame talent; sadly, he hasn’t fully fulfilled his potential. Graham may get in one day due to a long career on a second or third ballot; however, he is not bound for Canton just yet.

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