Jimmy Graham Signs With Saints, Returns to Where Breakout Career Began

Veteran tight end Jimmy Graham is returning to the Saints on a one-year deal, the team announced on Tuesday morning.

Graham did not play in the NFL last season and last appeared with the Bears in 2021. He played in 15 games, starting in six, and caught just 14 passes for 167 yards and three touchdowns.

The 36-year-old Graham is far removed from the Pro Bowl-caliber player he once was with the Saints, but perhaps a return to New Orleans could spark a late-career revival to squeeze out whatever high upside he has left in the tank.

Graham spent the first five seasons of his career in New Orleans, where he quickly developed into a favorite target of quarterback Drew Brees and ascended to one of the top tight ends in the game.

Over five seasons with the Saints, he caught 386 passes for 4,752 yards and 51 of his 85 career touchdowns. Graham spent the last few seasons of his prime with the Seahawks, where he caught 170 passes for 2,048 yards and 18 touchdowns across three seasons.

Graham has also spent time with the Packers and Bears before going all of last season as an unsigned free agent.

Graham will likely be a depth option at tight end for the Saints at this stage of his career, but will be another veteran pass catcher at the disposal of new quarterback Derek Carr.