Tight end Jimmy Graham said late in his first season in Green Bay that his “numbers suck,” but that didn’t get in the way of the Packers paying him a $5 million roster bonus early in the offseason.
Graham caught 55 passes for 636 yards and two touchdowns last year, which may have led some to cut ties but new head coach Matt LaFleur’s offensive plans led the team to go in the other direction. Graham has been in a prominent role during training camp practices and believes the Packers are going to “use the tight end quite a bit” as the season unfolds.
“When I get those opportunities, I have to show him that I’m the biggest, fastest thing out there. I have to go up and get those grabs for him,” Graham said, via Madison.com. “I’ve been focused and I’m ready to get this thing started obviously. We have four more weeks here, but I’m about as fired up as I’ve ever been to go and shut a lot of people up.”
Graham believes that “everybody thinks I’m old and slow now” and obviously relishes the chance to show that’s not the case. If he’s right, the Packers offense should be in better shape than it was at the end of last season.