Thomas Graham Jr. had one of the more memorable debuts for a Chicago Bears defensive back in recent memory. In his first-ever NFL action against a potent Minnesota Vikings offense, he delivered three pass deflections including one that prevented a touchdown. It was an exciting moment for the rookie. Not to mention encouraging for the Bears, who got to see another draft pick make some nice plays.
One would think this was enough to convince the Bears to give Graham a chance to start again the next week in Seattle. Nope. Artie Burns and Kindle Vildor got the nod over him. Then when the rookie did come into the game during the second series on defense, he was treated to his Welcome to the NFL moment. Lined up man-to-man on the outside, Seattle Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf burned him for a 41-yard touchdown.
Moments like that are the ultimate test of a young cornerback.
It would’ve been so easy for Graham to get down on himself, questioning where he went wrong. Any corner who survived in the NFL would know this is a death sentence. One fact of life in this league is you’re going to get beat at some point. The trick is learning to move on and almost act like it never happened. Have a short memory. If you get caught thinking about previous mistakes, you’ll never stop making them.
This is where the Bears rookie showed everybody that he is made of stern stuff. It was to be expected that Russell Wilson would go at him again after such a fruitful first attempt. As it turns out, that wasn’t the best decision. Graham was targeted five more times on the afternoon, allowing just two catches for 12 yards with another pass deflection. An outstanding recovery after such a tough start.
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Thomas Graham Jr. has a future on this Bears defense
For him to make nice plays and showcase the mental fortitude to handle tough moments proves as much. The Bears already have a stud at cornerback in Jaylon Johnson. If Graham continues to build on what he is already doing, then the defense might have yet another young building block to work with. Both with Johnson and Roquan Smith. Another reminder of how good this organization continues to be at finding defensive talent.
This also helps to validate what many were saying coming out of the draft. That Thomas Graham might’ve been a 6th round pick, but under normal circumstances, he would’ve gone much earlier. Remember he had eight interceptions in his first three seasons at Oregon. He was poised for a big senior year. Instead, he chose to opt out due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That decision likely cost him a lot of money.
Things happen for a reason though.
He still got the phone call come draft time. Even so, it was a frustrating wait to finally get his chance. Graham admitted he was “butthurt” about getting cut back in August despite promising signs in the preseason. Once he got over that, he started taking advice on how to get better and prepare himself for the next opportunity. When that came against Minnesota, he was ready. Now he has the look of a future starter.
