A few weeks back the Bears released cornerback Kyle Fuller, much to the benefit of the Denver Broncos, who immediately signed him. Chicago needed the cap room, so they didn't have much choice in the matter. But it's harder to explain why they still have Jimmy Graham on their roster.

Graham carries a $10 million cap hit for 2021, and the team would save $7 million by releasing him. They drafted Cole Kmet in the second round a year ago, and he should be ready to do more in his second season.

But Graham is still on the roster. He's 34 years old, and while he's played every game the last four seasons, he hasn't made much of an impact. Seattle and Green Bay have moved on readily from him in that time period. Chicago hasn't.

In each of those four years, Graham has caught at least 35 passes. There have been 93 such 35-catch seasons by a tight end in that time frame. In each of those years, Graham averaged just 2-3 receptions per game; once he made it up 3.6, which rounds up to 4. But a pretty minimal impact compared to all the other tight ends who were part of the passing game in those years. Graham slots down with mostly backups or in offenses that didn't throw much to the tight end. This a player who in his first four years as a starter averaged 5-6 receptions per game each season, which ranked up with the league’s top tight ends.

2018Zach Ertz, Phil.16156116116387.3
2020Travis Kelce, K.C.151451051416117.0
2020Darren Waller, L.V.16145107119696.7
2018Travis Kelce, K.C.161501031336106.4
2019George Kittle, S.F.1410785105356.1
2019Travis Kelce, K.C.1613697122956.1
2020George Kittle, S.F.8634863426.0
2019Zach Ertz, Phil.151358891665.9
2019Austin Hooper, Atl.13977578765.8
2019Darren Waller, Oak.1611790114535.6
2017Travis Kelce, K.C.1512283103885.5
2018George Kittle, S.F.1613688137755.5
2019Evan Engram, NYG8684446735.5
2017Jack Doyle, Ind.151088069045.3
2017Zach Ertz, Phil.141107482485.3
2017Rob Gronkowski, N.E.1410569108484.9
2017Delanie Walker, Ten.161117480734.6
2019Tyler Higbee, LAR15896973434.6
2019Hunter Henry, LAC12765565254.6
2020Logan Thomas, Was.161107267064.5
2018Austin Hooper, Atl.16887166044.4
2020Hunter Henry, LAC14936061344.3
2019Mark Andrews, Balt.159864852104.3
2017Evan Engram, NYG151156472264.3
2018Jared Cook, Oak.161016889664.3
2020T.J. Hockenson, Det.161016772364.2
2020Dallas Goedert, Phil.11654652434.2
2018Jordan Reed, Was.13845455824.2
2020Mark Andrews, Balt.14885870174.1
2020Noah Fant, Den.15936267334.1
2018Eric Ebron, Ind.1611066750134.1
2018Evan Engram, NYG11644557734.1
2018Kyle Rudolph, Min.16826463444.0
2020Dalton Schultz, Dall.16896361543.9
2020Evan Engram, NYG161096365413.9
2019Jason Witten, Dall.16836352943.9
2017Jason Witten, Dall.16876356053.9
2019Dallas Goedert, Phil.15875860753.9
2017Austin Seferian-Jenkins, NYJ13745035733.8
2017Benjamin Watson, Balt.16796152243.8
2017Charles Clay, Buff.13744955823.8
2020Eric Ebron, Pitt.15915655853.7
2019Jacob Hollister, Sea.11594134933.7
2019Greg Olsen, Car.14825259723.7
2018Rob Gronkowski, N.E.13724768233.6
2017Jimmy Graham, Sea.169657520103.6
2017Kyle Rudolph, Min.16815753283.6
2020Austin Hooper, Cle.13704643543.5
2020Mike Gesicki, Mia.15855370363.5
2020Hayden Hurst, Atl.16885657163.5
2018David Njoku, Cle.16885663943.5
2018Jimmy Graham, G.B.16895563623.4
2018Trey Burton, Chi.16765456963.4
2017Jared Cook, Oak.16865468823.4
2018Vance McDonald, Pitt.15725061043.3
2017Eric Ebron, Det.16865357443.3
2020Zach Ertz, Phil.11723633513.3
2020Robert Tonyan, G.B.165952586113.3
2017Hunter Henry, LAC14624557943.2
2019Mike Gesicki, Mia.16895157053.2
2020Jimmy Graham, Chi.16765045683.1
2019Jared Cook, N.O.14654370593.1
2017Austin Hooper, Atl.16654952633.1
2017Cameron Brate, T.B.16774859163.0
2020Tyler Higbee, LAR15604452152.9
2017Julius Thomas, Mia.14624138832.9
2017George Kittle, S.F.15634351522.9
2020Jordan Akins, Hou.13493740312.8
2019Gerald Everett, LAR13603740822.8
2020Rob Gronkowski, T.B.16774562372.8
2020Jonnu Smith, Ten.15654144882.7
2019Vance McDonald, Pitt.14553827332.7
2019Jack Doyle, Ind.16724344842.7
2019Tyler Eifert, Cin.16634343632.7
2018C.J. Uzomah, Cin.16644343932.7
2017Vernon Davis, Was.16694364832.7
2017Jesse James, Pitt.16634337232.7
2017Tyler Kroft, Cin.16624240472.6
2020Gerald Everett, LAR16624141712.6
2020Drew Sample, Cin.16534034912.5
2019Noah Fant, Den.16664056232.5
2020Jared Cook, N.O.15603750472.5
2020Anthony Firkser, Ten.16533938712.4
2019Kyle Rudolph, Min.16483936762.4
2018Chris Herndon, NYJ16563950242.4
2020Tyler Eifert, Jac.15603634922.4
2019Jimmy Graham, G.B.16603844732.4
2019Cameron Brate, T.B.16553631142.3
2019Jordan Akins, Hou.16553641822.3
2019Irv Smith, Min.16473631122.3
2018Ian Thomas, Car.16493633322.3
2019Jonnu Smith, Ten.16443543932.2
2018Benjamin Watson, N.O.16463540022.2

Merely showing up counts for something. Graham has been healthy and available, which is nice. But he hasn't been an impact player; definitely isn't worth what the Bears are paying him. Hard to figure why Ryan Pace hasn't moved on yet.

--Andy Richardson