LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) -- After landing in the end zone during the Bears' first full-contact practice Monday, veteran tight end Jimmy Graham flung the football in the air to celebrate.
The Bears were used to it by the end of practice, with Graham firing the ball off several more times before the final whistle. The 33-year-old Graham feels rejuvenated as he enters his 11th NFL season.
"It's a truly special time for me," Graham said Thursday. "I have a lot to prove. I mean, I have a big chip on my shoulder to do as best as I can with this new opportunity."
A five-time Pro Bowl selection, Graham has slipped from his best form. He had just 38 catches for 447 yards in 16 games for the Packers in 2019. But the Bears believe he still has strong football left in him.
Graham enters the season healthy after dealing with a lingering right knee issue the last several seasons. The Bears are counting on the 6-foot-7 Graham to be their top U tight end in coach Matt Nagy's offense.
That means thrusting Graham's size into mismatches against opposing coverage.
"You look at him, and he's just a specimen," Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky said. "His size and strength. But once you get to know him, I think you get to see how smart he is, how cerebral he is about the game and his experience. I mean, there's a reason he's been around for this long."
Added fellow Bears quarterback Nick Foles: "He’s still got a lot of juice in him."
Bears rookie tight end Cole Kmet has found Graham to be an important presence during his first training camp. Kmet remembers being 12 years old and watching Graham play. He even owned a jersey of Graham's from his days with the Saints.
Now, the Bears are making plans for Kmet to be their Y tight end and create a tandem with Graham.
"As a fan of football, as a player of the game, it’s been pretty special for me to be able to learn from a guy like that," Kmet said.
Of course, the Bears didn't sign Graham on a two-year deal to only be a mentor. They want him to be the dynamic tight end that Nagy's offense has sorely lacked. Chicago released Trey Burton in April after just two seasons of his four-year contract because he couldn't stay healthy enough to produce.
Graham is five years older than Burton and is being pressed into the same role. He's also five inches taller than Burton and has the track record of making the kind of plays that Burton couldn't. The Bears believe that if Graham can stay healthy, he will help alter their offense for the better.
For Graham, the opportunity to sign with the Bears was about more than the contract. After a decade in the NFL without winning a Super Bowl, he has a primary goal.
Graham wants to eventually retire with the Bears organization after earning a championship ring.
"This team, all they care about is winning," Graham said. "All they care about is that Super Bowl. From the owner to the GM to the head coach, that is their complete focus — how to do it and do it now.
"This is where I want to end it. There's only one way to end it. Hopefully, that's winning that final game."
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.