Jimmy Graham ranked 2nd-worst early free-agent signing

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Ryan Pace's decision to sign veteran tight end Jimmy Graham has been deemed questionable, at best, by fans and media alike, and for good reason.

Graham isn't the player he once was when he dominated second-level defenders in New Orleans. You remember that Graham. He registered two seasons of more than 1,200 yards and was arguably the most feared tight end in the NFL.

But that was an eternity ago (his most productive seasons were in 2011 and 2013). The present-day Graham fell short of 1,200 yards in the last two seasons combined. And that was with Aaron Rodgers throwing him the ball.

Yet here we are. Pace signed Graham to a two-year, $18 million deal, a contract that looks even worse after the Steelers inked Eric Ebron for just $12 million over two seasons.

As a result, the Graham signing was ranked the second-worst of the early free agency period.

if Graham could barely produce with Aaron Rodgers under center, is he really going to be a dynamic playmaker alongside either of Chicago's quarterbacks? Nick Foles might be an upgrade over Mitchell Trubisky, but he is also a quarterback with a propensity for throwing the deep ball, and Graham is no longer a deep threat.

There were other options on the market, most notably Eric Ebron. While Ebron has been chastised in the past for drops, he has far more big-play ability than Graham.

Bears general manager Ryan Pace is running out of excuses, and he could be on his way out the door if Graham flops.

Chicago's other moves — signing Robert Quinn and trading for Nick Foles — have been somewhat overshadowed by the bizarre decision to target Graham as the answer for the Bears' tight end needs. 

Pace, unfortunately, has a growing list of head-scratching decisions as Bears general manager. Graham might go down as one of his worst.

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