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The New Orleans Saints have made a surprising move in their offseason roster shakeup, welcoming back veteran tight end Jimmy Graham.
The team announced on Tuesday that they have signed the five-time Pro Bowler to a one-year contract.
This reunion marks a homecoming for Graham, who previously played for the Saints before embarking on a journey that took him through Seattle, Green Bay, and Chicago.
During his initial stint with New Orleans, the Miami product enjoyed tremendous success in Sean Payton’s offensive scheme, becoming a key target for quarterback Drew Brees.
In five seasons alongside Brees, Graham showcased his talents, amassing an impressive 4,752 receiving yards on 386 catches, scoring an impressive 51 touchdowns.
His standout performances led to three Pro Bowl selections and one first-team All-Pro nod during his time with the Saints. His best season came in 2013, he had 86 catches for 1,215 yards and 16 touchdowns.
After a contentious situation involving the franchise tag in 2014, Graham was traded to the Seattle Seahawks, where he continued to perform at a high level and earned two more Pro Bowl selections during his three-year tenure.
Since then, the tight end has had brief spells with the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears, with his last season in 2021 being relatively quiet in terms of production.
Despite being 36 years old and having spent the entire previous season out of football, the Saints are hopeful that Graham can still provide a valuable contribution to the team.