Bears fans are wondering what the heck took so long for Thomas Graham Jr. to see playing time
With the Chicago Bears’ secondary depleted by COVID-19, the team was forced to flex a slew of defensive backs to the active roster for Monday night’s game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Among those is rookie cornerback Thomas Graham Jr., who got the start opposite Kindle Vildor with Jaylon Johnson and Artie Burns sidelined.
Graham, a sixth-round draft selection by Chicago, was a shocking roster cut back in August, although he was re-signed to the practice squad.
Graham made his NFL debut Monday against the Vikings, where he’s gotten off to an impressive start in his first NFL start. Through the middle of the second quarter, Graham had two pass breakups, including one that prevented a Minnesota touchdown, and a beautiful open-field tackle.
.@_TG4__ out there making plays in his first career NFL game! #ProDucks x @ChicagoBears pic.twitter.com/kTzenJHhou
— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) December 21, 2021
Bears fans are left wondering why it took a COVID-19 outbreak for Graham to finally see playing time this season, especially considering guys like Vildor, Burns and Xavier Crawford have not only gotten playing time but made the active roster over Graham.
1Q and 5 seconds into the game and it’s already clear Thomas Graham should have been getting snaps all year over Vildor, Burns, Crawford, etc…#Bears
— Patrick Sheldon (@P_Shels) December 21, 2021
Thomas Graham with an awesome play but yea let’s wait til week 15 to finally play him
— Austin F (@PodGuyFuges) December 21, 2021
Early returns on Thomas Graham Jr. but my first thought is- How the hell wasn’t he good enough to be on the active roster & starting over a guy like Xavier Crawford? #Bears
— Aaron Leming (@AaronLemingNFL) December 21, 2021
Yeah… Maybe Thomas Graham Jr shouldn't have been on the PS all year, maybe he should have been starting.
Early take, but I'm getting Fuller vibes of his tackling ability.
Let's get it done in coverage too!
— Bearlissimo (@Bearlissimo1) December 21, 2021
Everybody meet Thomas Graham! Yessirski!!!!
— Jevón Hølland (@HollywoodVon) December 21, 2021
Thomas Graham is BALLING
Remind me why this horrible coaching staff stashed him on the bench the whole season 😂
— DaWindyCity Productions (@dwcprodz) December 21, 2021
Thomas Graham Jr. is BALLING out tonight. That's two PBUs in the first half alone.
Why hasn't he been on the roster sooner? #Bears
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) December 21, 2021
Hey, Thomas Graham Jr., have yourself an NFL debut. He’s got two passes defensed already tonight and a nice open-field tackle.
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) December 21, 2021
Thomas Graham just the latest indictment on this coaching staff. With all the problems the #Bears secondary has had it’s inexcusable he hasn’t gotten a look before tonight.
— Patrick Sheldon (@P_Shels) December 21, 2021
Thomas Graham Jr to Matt Nagy and Sean Desai after they played Marqui Christian and Artie Burns over him. pic.twitter.com/OAbd3wLmYY
— Max Markham (@MaxMarkhamNFL) December 21, 2021
THOMAS GRAHAM IS A STUD
— Joseph Herff (@JosephHerffNFL) December 21, 2021
Thomas Graham Jr. was an option all season?
— Bears Talk (@NBCSBears) December 21, 2021
Thomas Graham Jr in his first NFL start today.
He might have been the second best CB on this defense all season and was on the practice squad.
— Bears Nation (4-9) (@BearsNationCHI) December 21, 2021
We see you, Thomas Graham Jr.!
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) December 21, 2021
The Bears’ thought process behind putting Thomas Graham on the PS was probably that they wanted veterans on the roster so they had a better chance of winning games/saving jobs. Well whaddaya know he’s actually better than the veterans. Team can’t even make bad decisions correctly
— Jeremy Layton (@JeremyLayt0n) December 21, 2021
Thomas Graham tackles better than anyone in our backfield and it’s only his first set of downs…..
— Cork City Bears Fan (@BearsCork) December 21, 2021
Thomas Graham Jr. making the Bears regret putting him on the practice squad. Love it.
— Corie (@BDRCorie) December 21, 2021
Thomas Graham can play.
And this is his first game.
Sigh.#Bears
— Erik Lambert (@ErikLambert1) December 21, 2021
Why has Thomas Graham been on the practice squad all season when we’ve had to watch Kindle Vildor and Xavier Crawford? #Bears
— Sean Barrett (@seanbarrett__) December 21, 2021
Thomas Graham is playing better than advertised. Why the Bears never gave him a shot before tonight is beyond me.
— DylanK25 (@dkrejci3855) December 21, 2021
Sooooo, you’re telling me Thomas Graham isn’better that ANYONE the Bears have been rolling out in the secondary all year? Really? Really.
Didn't believe that then. Really don’t believe it after one HALF that he’s played. pic.twitter.com/6PyRDZ4pxY
— EJ Snyder (@thedraftsmanFB) December 21, 2021
i wonder who made the decision to put Thomas Graham on the practice squad 😐
— Jason Tapper (@Tapphouse65) December 21, 2021
@CPD_Media Id like to report a crime. Thomas Graham had his rookie season stolen from him.
Suspect is bald, wears a visor and carries a Dennys menu.
— Michael Gus (@MichaelGus57) December 21, 2021
Thomas Graham on the Bears so far tonight! Might be earning himself a real spot on the roster for when everyone’s ready to return! #BearDown
— Wes Cunningham (@wes_cunningham_) December 21, 2021
It took our entire secondary getting covid for us to see Thomas Graham. I really hate this coaching staff
— ً (@nagy2hell) December 21, 2021
Thomas graham not being able to be brought up from the practice squad all season despite the cbs behind jaylon Johnson sucking is an indictment on this entire staff
— Kevin Gee (@InnerGee_ktg) December 21, 2021
Thomas Graham Jr is your starting corner beside Jaylon Johnson! This is what i mean about having the players on your team that you have not recognized are ballers because nagy is not doing his job of processing his roster!
— Styngray (@StyngrayChosen) December 21, 2021
“What a genius Ryan Pace is for getting Thomas Graham Jr.!”
Sure, but he let him sit on the practice squad for 13 weeks…
— Justin Fields for Mayor of Chicago (@The_Burns29) December 21, 2021
This coaching staff has 0 ability to evaluate talent.
Thomas Graham probably should have been playing all season, and ill never forgive them for starting Coward for most of last season.
— Delirious Bears fan (@LukeSErick91) December 21, 2021
Thomas Graham Jr. is playing well!! Much better than Shelley or Vildor!!! Looks like ANOTHER guy that this staff couldn’t evaluate properly!!!! #FireNagy #FirePace #FireEmAll
— Shawn Sierra (@TheShawnSierra) December 21, 2021
We’ve had to watch Kindle Vildor for how many weeks now? How has it taken the staff this long to give Thomas Graham some reps.
— Taylor A. Rammelt (@PuckerRam) December 21, 2021
Thomas Graham on the Practice Squad pic.twitter.com/5oZQwqlf3b
— 𝕁𝕆ℝ𝔻𝔸ℕ🐻⬇️ #FreeStammer (@SamuraiFields) December 21, 2021
Why hasn’t Thomas Graham played more with our poor CB play?
— Ben Devine (@Chicago_NFL) December 21, 2021
so Thomas Graham Jr. wasn't good enough to get a look over Kindle Vildor and the other trash the Bears trotted out this season? kinda like how Breshad Perriman was good enough to be TB's WR3 a week after being signed but couldnt get a look w/ Chicago.
Fire everyone yesterday!
— Brad (@WhiteSoxGolfer) December 21, 2021
Thomas Graham is our only win today
— adnbro ➐ (@icyqt_B) December 21, 2021
Like imagine what the #Bears secondary would've looked like had Thomas Graham Jr. gotten a fair chance to start all season? We'd be talking about him as a starter going into 2022. #MINvsCHI
— Usayd Koshul (@usaydkoshul) December 21, 2021
Thomas Graham Jr and Jaylon Johnson are the future
— Glockaflocka 🐻⬇️ (@Mr_McGlothlin) December 21, 2021
Whoever made the decision that Thomas Graham Jr shouldn’t be on our active roster deserves to be fired immediately #BearDown
— Matt (@MindOverMATTor) December 21, 2021
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