ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Daniel Graham is shedding his reputation, along with tacklers.
Known as a great blocking tight end, the Denver Broncos seventh-year pro is becoming one of quarterback Jay Cutler’s most reliable targets, a 257-pound hulk who’s tough to corral after the catch.
“I like to consider myself a small lineman and a big receiver,” Graham said with a grin.
Either way, he’s getting lost in the shuffle.
With Brandon Marshall, Brandon Stokley, Eddie Royal and Tony Scheffler running routes, Graham often goes unnoticed and uncovered, finding openings in the middle of the field.
He’s caught 12 of his 27 passes over the last three weeks.
“I like being the sleeper,” said Graham, who has four touchdown receptions this season, matching his total from the last two years combined. “It seems like I’ve been getting open a lot easier lately.”
Cutler has noticed the same thing. Whenever he looks for Graham over the middle, there doesn’t seem to be a crowd gathered around him.
So he zips a pass to the big target.
“It just kind of naturally happened,” Cutler said of the tight end’s increased involvement in the passing game. “It’s been a nice complement.”
Graham has proven quite proficient at breaking tackles once he has the ball in his hands, averaging 11.8 yards a reception. That’s a stat that marvels Marshall, who’s averaging not much more at 12.3 and on Tuesday was named a Pro Bowl starter.
“He’s a force,” Marshall said. “Me and him like to compete all the time, because I like to say I’m the King of the YAC (yards after catch). But lately it’s been Daniel. They’re scared to tackle him, and he punishes defenders when they come up to tackle him.”
Graham appreciates his expanded role in the passing game but realizes his main task is to keep the running game clicking and Cutler standing.
That’s priority No. 1.
“Blocking has always been a big part of my game,” said Graham, who grew up in Denver watching his father, Tom, play for the Broncos. “I take it personal if someone beats me.”
Never has Graham seen anything like the bevy of backs the Broncos have gone through this season, placing five on injured reserve.
Although dazzled by the team’s depth at tailback, the injuries don’t change his blocking demeanor.
“I still have to go out and do my job,” he said. “And I’m counting on the running back to go out there and do his job, go out and run hard, so it doesn’t make a difference.”
Graham’s presence in the passing game can be in part attributed to the play of the offensive line. Even with Ryan Clady and Ryan Harris in their first years starting at tackle, they’ve held their own, allowing Graham to go out into the passing lanes.
“I’m getting open, and Jay’s finding me,” Graham said. “I’m taking full advantage of the opportunity of getting more balls thrown my way.”
Not that anybody around Denver is surprised.
“He’s got great hands,” Stokley said. “But he’s so good at blocking, though, that he’s overlooked in the passing game. He’s shown just how good of a catcher he is.”
Then again, Graham did win the John Mackey Award coming out of the University of Colorado, an honor given to the best tight end in the land.
He quickly established himself as one of the top blocking tight ends in New England, helping the Patriots win two Super Bowl trophies before signing with Denver as a free agent in 2007.
Graham hauled in just 24 passes last season, counted on more for blocking than his pass catching.
Now, he’s showing he’s equally adept at both.
“I want to be known as the best overall tight end,” he said.
