The Chicago Bears announced their initial 53-man roster Tuesday, and while there weren't many surprises on cutdown day, the dismissal of second-year cornerback Thomas Graham Jr. raised eyebrows.
Graham emerged as an exciting success story over the final month of the 2021 season. He appeared in four games with one start and ended the year with the Bears' highest coverage grade from Pro Football Focus. To be fair, his 90.6 grade came from a small sample size -- 112 snaps -- but he was viewed as a likely starter in 2022 when the offseason began.
The selection of Kyler Gordon in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft combined with Graham's mysterious training camp and preseason absence (hamstring) was too much for the former sixth-round pick to overcome. Still, Graham's level of play as a rookie resulted in The Touchdown Wire naming him the Bears' most surprising roster cut.
Thomas Graham Jr.'s success as a rookie wasn't enough
"There were a number of surprising cuts made by the Bears, including offensive lineman Michael Schofield," Alyssa Barbieri wrote. "But it’s the departure of second-year cornerback Thomas Graham Jr. that’s the most shocking. Graham didn’t see the field much in his rookie season, as he was stashed on the practice squad and forgotten until the entire starting secondary got COVID-19. But in his limited reps, Graham showed that he has the potential to develop into a playmaker at cornerback. Graham was battling for the nickel back job with Tavon Young before being sidelined with a hamstring injury. Graham has versatility playing both outside and nickel cornerback, and he has a ton of potential. Unfortunately, Graham suffered because he was limited due to his injury. But he’s a prime candidate to return on the practice squad – if he’s not snatched up by another NFL team."
Graham is a strong Chicago Bears practice squad candidate, but I wouldn't count on him being available for that role. Cornerbacks are hard to find, and Graham's success as a rookie will appeal to teams that need an upgrade in their secondary.