Most of the NFL seemed to think Jimmy Graham was done after his stay with the Packers fizzled, they cut him in March with a year left on his contract and he went unsigned for two weeks.
To an extent, they were correct. Prime Jimmy Graham, the version that was so athletic he could’ve played small forward in the NBA, isn’t here anymore.
But Graham, now 34, has nimbly navigated the worrisome waters that sink many athletes in their 30s. What he inevitably lost in speed and agility, he made up for with intellect.
“Successful veterans who last a long time accentuate all their physical abilities with that mental part of the game,” Bears offensive coordinator Bill Lazor said.