Mar xiii, 2018

  • Rob DemovskyESPN Staff Writer

    Shut

    • Covered Packers for Greenish Bay Press-Gazette from 1997-2013
    • Two-time Wisconsin Sportswriter of the Year as selected by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association

Green BAY, Wis. -- Aaron Rodgers will have to find a new favorite target because the Greenish Bay Packers take released Jordy Nelson. They are too adding tight terminate Jimmy Graham on a three-year deal worth roughly $30 million, sources tell ESPN'south Adam Schefter.

Graham has been one of the most prolific tight ends of his era, communicable 69 touchdown passes since he entered the league with the New Orleans Saints every bit a tertiary-round pick in 2010. That total ranks second amidst tight ends and third among all pass-catchers during that bridge, behind Rob Gronkowski (76) and Dez Bryant (73).

Graham had x receiving touchdowns last flavor, virtually among tight ends and tied for 2nd most leaguewide.

Nelson and Rodgers concord the Packers' record for most touchdowns past a quarterback-receiver duo with 65. They broke Brett Favre and Antonio Freeman's tape of 58 during the 2022 flavor.

Rodgers wrote on his Instagram account that Nelson's departure represented "a sad twenty-four hours and the toughest part of this business."

Nelson, 32, was scheduled to make $10.25 million in salary and bonuses in the terminal season of a 4-year, $39 one thousand thousand contract. By cutting Nelson, the Packers save $ten,218,750 in salary-cap infinite.

It'due south the outset major roster cut by new general director Brian Gutekunst, who replaced Ted Thompson in January.

"We cannot thank Jordy enough for all that he has given the Green Bay Packers and our customs for the past ten years," Gutekunst said. "He has been an exemplary professional and teammate and greatly contributed to our success. Jordy will always be a member of the Packers family and we look forward to his eventual induction into the Packers Hall of Fame. Nosotros wish Jordy, his married woman Emily, and the rest of their family all the best."

Publicly, Nelson said tardily last flavor that he would be open to taking a pay cut to finish his career in Green Bay. He said at the time he wanted to play two to four more than years. A source said he told teammates during the flavor that he was opposed to a pay cut and might consider retirement if the Packers released him. Yet, a source told Schefter that Nelson wants to go on to play.

The Packers were in the market for a tight end later on the Martellus Bennett signing from concluding offseason blew upward on them.

Later negotiations bankrupt downwardly with Jared Cook, the Packers turned to Bennett. He signed a three-yr, $21 meg deal but played in only 7 games earlier he was waived with the designation that he failed to disembalm a medical condition (shoulder) in what proved to be an ugly divorce.

He was claimed off waivers by the Patriots and played in two more games before he went on injured reserve. The Packers are still trying to recoup part of Bennett's $6.iii million signing bonus; they lost a grievance merely have filed an entreatment.

Packers tight ends combined for only two touchdown catches terminal flavour -- tied for the fewest in the NFL. The Packers and Rodgers have operated best with a receiving tight cease, dating to Jermichael Finley and including Cook.

Graham's three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks were a mixed bag. In 2017, he caught 10 touchdown passes -- all in the red zone -- and last season ranked tops among tight ends and tied for second among all pass-catchers for receiving scores.

Exterior of his touchdowns, however, Graham suffered a refuse in his product. His 520 receiving yards represented a significant driblet-off from 2016, when he had 923 receiving yards. And dropped passes were besides an issue as Graham tied for the 2d-most in the NFL with seven in 2017, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Nelson saw his product drop last flavour after Rodgers broke his collarbone. To that signal, he had six touchdowns in the commencement v games of the season, but he never caught another one. He finished with 53 catches for 482 yards and vi touchdowns.

Merely ane flavour earlier, he was the NFL's improvement player of the year when he caught 97 passes for 1,257 and 14 touchdowns after he missed the 2022 flavour considering of a torn ACL.

Nelson ranks third in squad history in catches (550), 5th in receiving yards (7,848) and second in touchdown catches (69).

After Davante Adams signed a four-twelvemonth, $58 million contract extension in Dec, it seemed likely the Packers would take a hard fourth dimension keeping both Nelson and Randall Cobb. For now, Cobb remains despite a $9.5 million bacon-cap charge for this flavour.

ESPN's Brady Henderson contributed to this report.