Former Green Bay Packers tight end Jimmy Graham may be best known for his days as a Pro Bowl tight end with the New Orleans Saints. After not playing in the NFL at all in 2022, Graham has signed a one-year contract to return to the Saints. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported the news on Twitter:
Saints announce one-year deal with TE Jimmy Graham, who was highly productive with New Orleans from 2010-14 with 4,752 yards and 51 touchdowns. Was out of football last year.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) July 25, 2023
Graham, of course, was drafted by the Saints in third round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He and quarterback Drew Brees had an electric connection, one that led to several impressive seasons from both players. In just his second season, 2011, Graham had over 1,300 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns.
Overall, Graham made three Pro Bowls in his five years with the Saints before they traded him to the Seattle Seahawks.
Jimmy Graham with the Green Bay Packers
Graham had several highly successful years in Seattle as well, earning Pro Bowl nods in 2016 and 2017. That is why, when he joined the Packers as a free agent in 2018, many fans had high hopes for his production in Green Bay.
Unfortunately, that did not happen. In his first year, he had respectable 55 receptions for 636 yards. In 2019, his numbers fell dramatically, and he just 38 receptions for 447 and three touchdowns.
Following his two seasons with the Packers, Graham played the 2020 and 2021 seasons with the Chicago Bears. In two years with Chicago, Graham 64 receptions for 623 yards and 11 touchdowns.
As noted, Graham did not play in the NFL last season. It is rather surprising that he was still interested in playing at all. Earlier this year, AJ Hawk revealed on The Pat McAfee Show that Graham had been hit by a car while biking in Miami.
Graham, at the time, was also training to sail around the world.
Perhaps he is putting that goal off by a year.
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