Saints' TE Situation with Jimmy Graham and Jeremy Shockey

Shockey is technically under contract for one more season at about $4.21 million. He missed three games this season with rib injury and a groin injury. He finished this season with only 41 catches for 408 yards and only three touchdowns. He has missed 10 of 48 regular season games in his three seasons with New Orleans. While his blocking is still excellent, the Saints have a mismatch in a younger and cheaper Jimmy Graham. We see him coming back for one more season.

D. Thomas is a free agent who has proven in the past two seasons that he might mean more to the team than the big sticker Shockey does. He’s a sure-handed receiver, a better-than-average blocker and plays the fullback role when needed. Thomas’ stats weren’t as good as Shockey’s, but Thomas does a lot more. We think he, too, will return.

Graham entered 2010 with a lot of question marks –How would he react to the professional game after only one year of collegiate football? Was the athleticism he showed on the basketball floor transferrable to the football field? He exited 2010 as one the bright young players in the NFL with a big upside and good future. He finished the season with 356 yards and five touchdowns on 31 catches.  But four of those five scores came in the final three weeks of the season. He was inactive in the playoffs but after a full season learning the offense, the sky is the limit. He’s back.

Click here to order Jeremy Shockey’s or Jimmy Graham’s proCane Rookie Card.



(wwltv.com)