NEW ORLEANS -- New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham is soaring to new heights -- literally.

The Pro Bowl star manned the cockpit in a small plane Wednesday and took a ride over the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

You can see him huddled in the front seat -- apparently a bit tight for his 6'7" frame -- of the picture above.

Last week Graham announced he had reached a next level of pilot certificaton.

The New Orleans Saints apparently view tight end Benjamin Watson as something more than just a backup.

The proof is in his pay.

In a twist of fate, Watson will make more than $700,000 more than what starter Jimmy Graham does in total cash this year. According to numbers obtained by ESPN.com, Watson will earn $2.15 million this season, while Graham will make $1.323 million in 2013.

Anyone else out there thinking about a possible holdout by Graham if he doesn’t get an extension (and a big raise) of a rookie contract he clearly has outplayed?

For the record, Watson’s three-year deal is worth $4.95 million. He got a $1.2 million signing bonus and a $950,000 first-year base salary. Watson’s 2014 salary jumps to $1 million and he has a $250,000 roster bonus and a $50,000 workout bonus.

In 2015, Watson’s salary will be $1.2 million and he also will have a $250,000 roster bonus and a $50,000 workout bonus.

I’ve also obtained the numbers on some other contracts recently signed by New Orleans players. Receiver/special teams player Courtney Roby got a one-year deal worth $905,000. But the Saints designated Roby as a veteran minimum benefit player, meaning his cap figure for this year is just $555,000.

The Saints did a similar maneuver with linebacker Ramon Humber. His one-year deal is worth $740,000. But the veteran minimum benefit puts his cap number at $550,000.

According to my calculations, the Saints are roughly $3.3 million under the cap.


(espn.com)

TE Jimmy Graham was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft with just one year of college football experience.

In that one year of collegiate action at Miami, Graham faced a Hurricane secondary led by Wesley McGriff in practice.

On Monday, the Saints hired McGriff as their secondary coach.

McGriff spent last season as the co-defensive coordinator/cornerbacks coach at the University of Mississippi. McGriff helped the Rebels improve from a 2-10 campaign in 2011 to a 7-6 record in 2012.

Before joining the Rebels, McGriff spent one year at Vanderbilt where he served as defensive backs coach/recruiting coordinator after spending four years as Miami’s defensive backs coach.

Graham said he is excited about McGriff joining the Saints and says the 22-year coaching veteran is a great fit for the black and gold.

“Coach McGriff will be a great addition to our team,” said Graham. “His experience and work ethic along with being an excellent teacher will make him an asset to our team.”

Graham said the thing that impressed him the most about McGriff was his ability to develop young defensive backs.

In 2011, McGriff tutored senior Casey Hayward to All-America status at Vanderbilt. The Packers drafted Hayward in the second round of the NFL Draft last season and he finished third in the Associated Press voting for Defensive Rookie of the Year after leading all NFL rookies with six interceptions.

Other notable NFL defensive backs that McGriff has coached on the collegiate level include New York Giants S Kenny Phillips, Green Bay Packers DB Sam Shields, Houston Texans CB Brandon Harris and New York Jets DB Yeremiah Bell.

As excited as Graham is for McGriff’s arrival in the Crescent City, the Saints tight end offered some friendly banter to the newest Saints coach.
“I'm looking forward to seeing frustration on his face the first chance we scrimmage in the redzone,” joked Graham.


(neworleanssaints.com)

Last year, two of the premier tight ends from the 2010 draft got long-term deals.  Neither is named Jimmy Graham.

For now, it looks like Graham won’t be getting a new deal this year, either.

Per a league source, the Saints and Graham currently are not talking.  And there’s no indication that they will.

In 2012, the Patriots were able to entice tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez to take long-term deals that paid much more than what they were due to make over the balance of their four-year rookie deals.  And if the Saints had offered such a deal to Graham last year, maybe he would have been inclined to bite.

Now, Graham is a year away from free agency.  As he gets closer to completing his rookie deal, Graham will want something closer to market value.

And while the Saints have the luxury of the franchise tag, a fight could be looming over whether Graham should be tagged as a tight end or a receiver.  In the end, the level will be determined by where he lines up the majority of the time in 2013.

Regardless of Graham’s official position, it’s easy to argue that he should be paid like a top receiver.


(profootballtalk.com)

New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham tried his best to conceal his injured left wrist from opponents throughout the 2012 season by taping both hands almost exactly the same on gameday. There was no concealing the injury Wednesday afternoon, though.

Graham donned a  black cast on his surgically repaired left wrist during a press conference for the NFL's Play 60 program at the NFL Experience at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Graham was asked to fill in at the Pro Bowl last week, but couldn't because of his wrist injury.

"I had surgery a couple of weeks ago and everything is going well," Graham said. "I'm going to start working out and doing rehab and just managing it for next fall."

Graham didn't go into any other details about the extent of his injury. Graham is entering the final year of his contract in 2013. While the amount of dropped passes Graham endured was alarming, he still towered over most tight ends in 2012 with 85 catches for 982 yards and nine touchdowns.


(nola.com)

NEW ORLEANS -- Sharing a stage with the Gronkowski brothers and Andrew Luck, Jimmy Graham easily was the most popular man on the stage at Wednesday's Play 60 event at the NFL Experience.

Logical, given Graham's lofty standing as a hometown hero in the Big Easy. After he spoke to a large gathering of children at New Orleans' massive convention center, we caught up with the New Orleans Saints' star tight end.

Graham has started rehab following surgery this month to repair a lingering wrist injury, saying "everything's going well" in the recovery process. He was asked if he's spoken to Saints coach Sean Payton since his bounty-related suspension was lifted.

"I haven't talked to him yet, I was going to go by his office today, been very busy as you can see," he said. "I'm just glad to have him back. He's our leader. I'm just ready to really sit down and speak with him and see what he did with his time off."

Payton wasted no time tending to business after his reinstatement, quickly firing defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and defensive backs coach Ken Flajole. Was Graham surprised by the moves?

"For me, I'm not really into hiring and firing, I just play the game," Graham said. "Sean knows what he's doing, obviously he's in my opinion the best coach in the NFL. He's going to do what's right for the rest of us."


(nfl.com)

Super Bowl 2013 has come to St. Tammany. Fifth Ward Junior High took center stage Jan. 29 when NFL Play 60 Super Bowl Challenge found its way to the tiny community of Bush in northeast St. Tammany Parish. 

New Orleans Saints players Jimmy Graham and Akiem Hicks, as well as current Team Ambassador and former Saints wide receiver Michael Lewis, visited Fifth Ward as part of the event. The school was selected as the grand prize winner in the Play 60 contest and was one of only a handful of area schools that had 100-percent participation in the program.

Play 60 was launched in 2007 and is designed to tackle childhood obesity by encouraging young people to enjoy at least 60 minute of daily physical activity.

Graham arrived at 9:30 a.m. and was greeted by a packed house of students, teachers, parents, school system administrators and more. The Saints standout tight end walked the halls of the school where he gave "High Fives" to each student, stopping briefly to sign a few autographs in the school’s office. Once inside the Fifth Ward gymnasium, Graham spoke to the crowd about fitness, health and nutrition and took time to answer a few of the students’ questions.

When Graham was told that the school won its first football game in 12 years this season, he pledged to buy cleats for the entire squad next season.

“What an amazing blessing that was,” said Fifth Ward Principal Christopher Oufnac.

The opportunity to have Graham speak to his students was equally special, Oufnac said.

"To hear his story, how our school and our community looked so familiar to him, that meant a lot to me and to the kids," Christopher Oufnac said.

Graham grew up in a rural area before finding his way to the University of Miami and, eventually, stardom in the Crescent City.

“When I found out he was coming, it brought goosebumps,” Oufnac said. “To hear his story, how our school and our community looked so familiar to him, that meant a lot to me and to the kids.”

Not even a hiccup in scheduling could affect the school’s excitement. Oufnac said Hicks and Lewis were delayed in reaching Fifth Ward when they accidently wound up at Fifth Ward Elementary in Reserve, La. The fact that the duo still made their way from the River Parishes to rural St. Tammany was not lost on Oufnac.

“How great is that?,” he said. “They wind up at the wrong school, but still came to Bush to see us. What is that, a two-hour drive? My hat’s off to the Saints, the NFL, and the players.”

Hicks and Lewis joined Graham in an interactive session of physical activities with the kids later in the morning. Students rotated through five different stations, where they enjoyed jumping rope, a football relay, a lightweight lifting station, a shuttle run, and a chance to play a Microsoft Xbox hurdling game.

“Watching (Hicks and Lewis) compete in that (Xbox) race, they both wanted to win,” Oufnac said. “They were like the kids. It was intense.”

The excitement doesn’t die down just yet for the Fifth Ward community. On Jan. 30, approximately 160 students will travel to the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans where they will participate in the NFL Play 60 Kids Experience. Fifth Ward also received $2,500 in athletic equipment and physical education gear by winning the Play 60 grand prize.

Parish students at Abita Springs Middle, Lancaster Elementary in Madisonville, Pine View Middle in Covington, and Brock Elementary, Mayfield Elementary and Carolyn Park Middle, all in or near Slidell, will also take part in the Play 60 Kids Experience in New Orleans.


(nola.com)

New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham is on the mend after undergoing wrist surgery earlier this month.

The surgery prevented Graham from making a trip to the Pro Bowl as he was a first alternate and Kyle Rudolph of the Minnesota Vikings got the nod instead after Tony Gonzalez of the Atlanta Falcons backed out of the game earlier this week.

Mike Triplett of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that Graham battled through the wrist injury for the majority of the season but never missed a game or a practice because of it. He caught 85 passes for 982 yards with nine touchdowns but Graham led the NFL with 14 dropped passes, perhaps a result of the injury.


(nationalfootballpost.com)

New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham had surgery to repair his lingering wrist injury earlier this month, a league source confirmed. As a result, Graham had to turn down the opportunity to play in the Pro Bowl when starter Tony Gonzalez also pulled out of the game with an injury this week.

Graham was the first alternate for the NFC all-star squad. Instead, Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph went to Hawaii in place of Gonzalez and Graham.

The exact nature of Graham's surgery is unknown. But he will likely have plenty of time to recover before summer camps and training camp. The Saints revealed late in the 2012 season that Graham had been fighting through the nagging injury for the entire season - though he never missed a game or practice because of the wrist injury.

Graham still had a productive season, with 85 catches for 982 yards and nine touchdowns in 15 games played (he missed one game with an ankle injury).
However, he struggled with dropped passes throughout the year. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Graham led the NFL in 2012 with 14 drops.

The wrist surgery, combined with the return of Saints coach Sean Payton, should help inspire a "bounce-back" season for Graham. And if 982 yards and nine touchdowns is a "down" year, then Graham and the Saints should be in awfully good shape. 


(nola.com)

Jimmy Graham dropped 15 of 100 catchable passes in 2012.

It's five more drops than any other tight end in the league. The normally sure-handed Graham -- who still led the Saints in catches with 85 -- has a built-in excuse in his season-long wrist woes. He'll have a ton of bounce-back appeal in 2013 with dynamic play-caller Sean Payton reinstated and his wrist presumably returning to 100 percent.


(rotoworld.com)

Arlington, Texas - Moments after the New Orleans Saints' exhilarating 34-31 win against the Cowboys on Sunday, David Thomas found Jimmy Graham in the crowded intersection at midfield and emphatically embraced him in a hug.

Graham had just made perhaps the most significant play of his budding career and it had nothing to do with the skills that will make him a perennial Pro Bowler.
Normally, the 6-foot-6 wunderkind beats opponents with his extraordinary height and hands. This time he did it with his heart and hustle.

"That's why we hustle! That's what we do!" Thomas shouted at his friend and position mate. "You did this! You got this win for us!"

Graham's heroics were a fitting end to a fatiguing afternoon for the Saints. They symbolized the resolve of the entire Saints team, which outfought and outplayed the Cowboys in their pigskin palace in a game the home team had to have to keep pace in the NFC playoff race.

With nothing to play for other than pride, the Saints admirably battled as if there was no tomorrow for four quarters and four and a half minutes of overtime.

On a day when they ran an astonishing 91 offensive plays, none was more critical than their final one, when Graham ignored injury and exhaustion to run down Marques Colston's fumble and preserve a shot at Garrett Hartley's game-winning field goal.

Just two plays earlier, Graham had raced to the sideline in excruciating pain, the ring finger on his right hand dislocated and bent sideways at an anatomically incorrect angle.

But the swollen finger or the achy wrist that has hampered him all season were not on his mind when Graham watched Colston's fumble bound inexplicably toward the Cowboys' goal line in overtime.

"I didn't think about the finger," Graham said. "It felt like a loose ball on the basketball court, and I had to dive in and get it. I've been diving on hardwood since I was a little kid."

Indeed, if the Saints could have picked a player to run down a loose ball, they undoubtedly would have selected Graham, a former power forward who led the University of Miami in rebounding in his senior season.

"I was watching Jimmy and I said if there's one that can get this thing it's Jimmy," quarterback Drew Brees said. "He just reverted to being the enforcer on the basketball court in the paint, muscling guys around, boxing them out. ... Jimmy was not going to allow anybody to prevent him from jumping on that ball. When he came up with that ball, that's when I knew we had it."

The play shouldn't have surprised anyone in black and gold or blue and silver. Two years ago, safety Malcolm Jenkins exhibited similar drive to run down Roy Williams and desperately force a game-deciding fumble just before the Cowboys wide receiver crossed the Saints' goal line.

The Saints won that day 30-27. The circumstances and final score were nearly identical Sunday. The only difference was Graham's heroics came at the opposite end of the field as Jenkins'.

"That's just what this team does," Graham said. "We've got a lot of resolve. We've been through so much. We all give all we have."

That it came from Graham, one of the team's few true superstars, and against the Cowboys, a team known more for its style than its substance, made the play all the more satisfying and appropriate.

"That last play kind of exemplified the whole course of the game," center Brian de La Puente said. "We're never going to quit. This team has such good character. We're fighting every last play to get that win."

Indeed, if suspended Saints Coach Sean Payton was watching the game - and you know he most certainly was somewhere - then it's hard to imagine him walking away from this team after seeing their effort and attitude throughout this adversity-filled season.

After all, it was Payton who once described the NFL as a league made up of 10 to 12 solid, smart, functioning clubs and a bunch of others "just swimming in circles."

The Cowboys, winners of just one playoff game in the past 16 seasons, might qualify as one of those circle-swimmers, despite their hefty payroll and billion-dollar stadium. If they fail to beat Washington next week they will have missed the playoffs for a third consecutive season.

By contrast, the Saints have a chance to record the same 8-8 record despite the NFL's draconian Bountygate sanctions. As 8-8 records go, the Saints' would definitely qualify as  the glass half-full version compared to the Cowboys' half-empty. It'd have been easy to fold up the tent after the embarrassing loss to the Giants two weeks ago. Instead, the Saints fought and scratched their way to a pair of impressive wins against opponents with playoff aspirations.

As he left the locker room Sunday, Graham had the claw marks on his triceps and a taped-up right ring finger to prove it.


(nola.com)

Sunday's game will almost certainly feature a Pro Bowl tight end. But which one?

The Saints' Jimmy Graham and the Cowboys' Jason Witten are battling for just one spot on the NFC roster alongside future Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez. Gonzalez is having a turn-back-the-clock season with the Atlanta Falcons in what might be his final season at age 36 (87 catches, 880 yards, eight touchdowns).

Witten has the stronger case, since he already has 97 catches and 923 yards, and he's on pace to break Gonzalez's record for catches by a tight end in a season (102 in 2004). That's especially impressive considering he began the year with a frightening spleen injury. Graham, meanwhile, has had a down year by his standards with 67 catches and 779 yards.

However, Witten only has two touchdowns, while Graham has eight. And Graham has become the higher-profile player after his breakout season in 2011. Graham finished ahead of Witten in the fan voting (both behind Gonzalez), which accounts for one-third of the selection formula along with player and coach votes.

The Pro Bowl rosters will be announced on Dec. 26. And there is a real chance that the Saints might get shut out for the first time since 2007.

(nola.com)

Co-Offensive Players of the Week:

Leonard Hankerson: proCane Redskins WR Leonard Hankerson caught two passes for 56 yards with two touchdowns in the Redskins' Week 15 win over the Browns. Hankerson made the most of his two targets. His first score came when he blew past Sheldon Brown and Kirk Cousins threaded the needle between three Browns for a 54-yard score in the first quarter. His second touchdown came on a simple goal-line bootleg from Cousins. Don't chase these plays as Hankerson continues to rotate with Josh Morgan opposite No. 1 target Pierre Garcon.

Andre Johnson: proCane Texans WR Andre Johnson caught 11 balls for 151 yards and a touchdown as the Texans defeated the Colts 29-17 in Week 15.
He was targeted 13 times, a game high on either side of the ball. Johnson was truly dominant against Colts top CB Vontae Davis, consistently winning 50:50 balls in the air and scoring from three yards out on a rub route deep in the red zone. Johnson has reasserted himself at age 31 as a top-five NFL receiver and likely future Hall of Famer. The past eight games have been the most productive stretch of Johnson's career, averaging 8.4 catches and 119.6 yards per game. He needs just seven receptions and 140 yards to join Marvin Harrison as the only receivers with at least 100 catches and 1,500 yards in three seasons. Andre Johnson also topped 11,000 career receiving yards this week

Honorable Mention: Travis Benjamin WR Browns, Jimmy Graham TE Saints, Frank Gore RB 49ers.

Defensive Players of Week:

Calais Campbell: proCane Cardinals DE Calais Campbell in his first game back from a calf injury played his best all-around game since Week 2 at New England despite still dealing with the lingering effects of a calf injury that sidelined him for a month. He wasn’t in pain while he recorded eight tackles, four for losses, a sack, a quarterback hurry and a pass deflection, but his calf wasn’t completely healed either.
Honorable Mention: Sam Shields DB Packers

Special Teams Player of the Week:

Matt Bosher: proCane Falcons P Matt Bosher continued his great 2nd season though this week he only had two punts but made them count. Bosher’s two punts totaled 100 yards with a long of 61 yards, and average of 50 yards and one touchback.

New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham said Friday he's been dealing with a left wrist injury since preseason.

Graham said on gamedays he mimics the tape job on both wrists to conceal the injury from opposing defenders and wouldn't say Friday which wrist is injured. Graham hasn't been on the injury report all season with his wrist injury.

"It has been pretty bad since preseason," Graham said. "But I'm not the only one dealing with issues and dealing with injuries. I played through a lot of stuff and unfortunately, I've played every game this season pretty banged up but so has everyone else in this locker room."

Graham said he wasn't sure if the wrist injury has hampered his performance this season. The Pro Bowl tight end has 64 catches for 710 yards and eight touchdowns this season.

"Catches and blocking has been painful this year but that's everybody," Graham said. "Everybody on this team has had some issues and is having issues. I can't use that as a crutch. I'm out there on Sunday's and I've got to produce."

When asked if he would need to have a procedure to fix his wrist injury in the offseason, Graham said he will know more once he has an MRI as it sounds like Graham will try to play the rest of the season in pain.

"I think it's (Graham's wrist injury) has been ongoing all season," Vitt said. "This time of the season and you're into Week (15) and you're going to have little nicks. ... But I think Jimmy has done a real good job of working through his nicks."

Graham miss one game this season with a ankle injury when the Saints beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct. 21.


(nola.com)

New Orleans Saints stars Drew Brees and Jimmy Graham will appear in ‘toon form in Friday’s (Dec. 14) episode of Nicktoons’ “NFL Rush Zone: Season of the Guardians.” The episode airs locally at 8 p.m. It repeats at 6 a.m. Saturday (Dec. 15) on the NFL Network.

Rush Zone Clip 1 from Jessica Wilson on Vimeo.

Rush Zone Clip 2 from Jessica Wilson on Vimeo.

The network’s episode description:

In this episode, hometown hotshot Troy challenges Ish on the field and in the HOK when Ish learns that Troy has been selected as the next Guardian. But it's Troy who has to learn a lesson in humility, when he oversteps his new powers and ends up trapped in the Saints’ new Super-Secure Megacore vault with Drop Kick. Saints quarterback Drew Brees and tight end, Jimmy Graham, join the Guardians to battle a squad of Blitz Botz inside the Superdome.

The NFL Rush Zone site.


(nola.com)

Falling: Jimmy Graham, tight end, Saints. His numbers aren’t terrible, but Graham’s not having the kind of season I expected in his second year as a full-time starter. I thought he’d take a big step forward from last year, but that hasn’t happened. Graham is playing with a wrist injury and dealt with other injuries early in the season. He’s been adequate, but not dominant. He hasn’t caught a touchdown pass in the last three games.


(espn.com)

New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham has overcome tremendous obstacles his entire life. He accomplished what others said he never would, and he’s not done yet.

“Most people, even people that I knew, laughed in my face when I told them I was going to play football,” said Graham, a former basketball standout for the University of Miami. “I think I’m only going to improve.”  

That attitude, paired with an exceptional drive and work ethic fostered over a lifetime of competitiveness, has allowed Graham to become one of the most dominant tight ends in the National Football League in just his fourth year playing football.  

The former Hurricane played basketball in Coral Gables, Fla. for four seasons. After years of being labeled as the enforcer by his teammates, Graham realized his skill set and attitude might be better suited elsewhere. It was then that he decided to take his talents from the hardwood to the gridiron and he has yet to look back.  

“I was either going to throw you or the ball out of bounds,” said Graham. “How I am competitively and physically, I definitely think I have more of a football mentality. I think the aggression that I have is definitely meant for football.”  

That aggression and competitive nature helped Graham in his only season playing football at the University of Miami. Well after the end of the collegiate season, as the 2010 NFL Draft approached, Graham began to receive attention in ways he hadn’t before.  

“Every analyst on TV said I was the NFL Draft’s biggest risk,” said Graham. “I can remember, literally every day I heard that I was the biggest risk. It was pretty motivating. Sometimes high risk has high reward.”  

For the Saints, the reward has been well worth the risk.  After selecting him in the third round of the 2010 Draft, Graham has appeared in 42 games with 25 starts for the black and gold while racking up 189 receptions for 2,320 yards (12.3 avg.) and 24 touchdowns, the most by a tight end in the NFC since 2010.  

He is the only tight end in franchise history to be named NFC Offensive Player of the Week and the first at the position to earn the honor since 2006.  He was named a Pro Bowl starter in just his second season.

Tight ends coach Terry Malone has worked very closely with Graham since he was drafted. Malone noted that since he arrived, Graham has been eager to learn as much as he can.  

“I think one of things that makes Jimmy Graham very special is that he is a competitive guy and he really has a burning desire to be the best,” said Malone. “He works that way. Since he joined the team, he has always put time into the game and it’s very important to him. When you combine a guy that has his talent with that kind of attitude, then the sky is the limit.”  

Even while continuing to learn the detailed ins-and-outs of the game, Graham has performed exceptionally well. He has relied on his passion, emotion and motivation to ensure that he puts forth his best effort on the field each and every game.  

“I have a fearless attitude,” said Graham. “I am a player that plays with a lot of emotion. I think the fans notice that. I take the game very personally. It’s something that I take a lot of pride in. I always feel that when I step on the field, I have something to prove. To this day, people always call me the basketball player and I feel like I’m out there proving why I should be out there.”  

But after his 2011 season, players and coaches all across the league know that this tight end doesn’t perform like he’s still learning the game.  Graham recorded 99 receptions for 1,310 yards (13.2 avg.) and 11 touchdowns last season while leading the club in all receiving categories.  

He became just the second tight end in history to go for over 1,300 yards in a single season and he also started a streak of six consecutive games where he pulled in a touchdown catch (tied for the second-longest by a tight end since the AFL-NFL merger).

He finished the season ranked No. 14 on the NFL Network’s “Top 100: Players of 2012,” a list voted on by NFL players.  Despite the accolades and praise, Graham still isn’t satisfied.  

“I think there were a lot of missed opportunities last year,” said Graham. “I missed some plays just because I was a young player. Now, I feel like I can recognize things a lot quicker. Hopefully it can allow me to limit those mistakes and capitalize on more opportunities.”

So far this season, even while facing more complicated coverages and double-teams, Graham is tied for the team lead in touchdown (8) with Marques Colst, second in receptions (59) and is third in yards (654).  

Against the then undefeated NFC South opponent Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 11, Graham put forth the best effort of his career when he racked up a career-high 146 yards and tied a career-high with two touchdowns in the Saints win.  

“I think I’ve just scratched the surface as far as my potential,” said the Pro Bowl tight end. “I have more of a football body now. I’ve put on some weight. I know more about defenses and it helps me to recognize certain coverages I want to continue to improve each and every day.”  

His hard work has helped him to hone his skillset but the tight end has also been able to learn from one of the league’s elite quarterbacks, Drew Brees.  Brees has been the signal caller for every game since the former Hurricane was drafted and the quarterback has been able to witness Graham’s passion and desire to be great.  

“The sky is the limit for this guy,” said Brees. “The good thing about him is that he doesn’t necessarily need to be pushed or motivated. He is self-motivated. He is driven. He’s got a fire that burns inside of him.”  

Graham traces that desire well into his past, all the way to his childhood. When faced with many obstacles to overcome, Graham turns toward the upbringing that shaped his attitude and competitiveness.  

“It taught me and it has given me that chip on my shoulder,” said Graham. “My whole life I’ve had to prove myself and battle through things. My whole life I’ve had a chip, it’s just in my personality.”  

Offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael has noticed the passion that Graham plays with on the field.  

“I would say he is a very emotional and passionate player,” said Carmichael. “When he makes a big play he gets excited. He gets excited for his teammates when they make a good play. I think he is a guy who plays with some extra passion, some extra fire.”  

But even with his success to this point, Graham retains the same attitude that he has always had. He strives to be great and will never stop. He remains focused on constant improvement and evaluates his performances with a microscope.  For Graham, there is no excuse to settle.

“Improvement and hard work are the biggest things for me,” said Graham. “I am focused on becoming the best player I can to help this team. I want to help this team win games.”

But, for the tight end, there is some extra motivation every time he steps into the locker room.  

“There are a lot of guys, whenever I look around, that have a ring,” said Graham. “I’m not one of those guys. That’s the ultimate goal, to get a ring. It’s really all I think about, especially when I work out. I am always trying to move towards that goal.”


(neworleanssaints.com)

New Orleans tight end Jimmy Graham has taken sole possession of the league lead in dropped passes.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, Graham now has dropped nine passes. He was tied for the league lead with eight last week. Tampa Bay running back Doug Martin is tied for fourth with seven drops and Atlanta receiver Julio Jones 10th with six drops. New Orleans receiver Marques Colston has five drops and no other NFC South player has more than four drops.

The Falcons and the Saints are tied, along with the New England Patriots, for fifth in the league with 24 team drops. The Buccaneers are tied for 24th place with 14 drops and the Panthers are tied for No. 27 with 13 drops.

Tampa Bay’s Vincent Jackson is one of just seven receivers (with 35 or more targets) that has yet to drop a pass. Jackson has been targeted 89 times and has 47 receptions.


(espn.com)

Jimmy Graham was held to 33 yards on four receptions and six targets versus the 49ers in Week 12.

We will be interested to see the snap-count total for Graham on Monday. Spending more time than usual on the sidelines -- perhaps in effort to get more blockers on the field -- Graham lost four catches to backup David Thomas. Graham's numbers were also down because Drew Brees was facing serious pressure all afternoon. Look for a bounce-back game against a Falcons defense that he torched for a 7/146/2 line three weeks ago.


(rotoworld.com)

ALAMEDA, Calififornia -- The Oakland Raiders have plenty of experience dealing with elite tight ends playing in the same division as Antonio Gates and having faced Tony Gonzalez so many times over the years.

Going up against New Orleans' Jimmy Graham this week might be the toughest test yet.

With his imposing 6-foot-7, 265-pound frame and the athletic ability of a former college basketball player, Graham is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. That's especially true for a Raiders team that is banged up in the secondary and has struggled all season to slow down opposing tight ends.

"He's always been a big guy who can run and go up and catch the ball but he's learned how to run routes and how to get himself open," coach Dennis Allen said. "He's one of the toughest matchups that we've seen."

Graham has overcome an inconsistent stretch earlier this season when he struggled to hold onto balls and has regained his form of late. He has 20 catches for 281 yards and four touchdowns the past three games.

That improvement has helped the Saints (4-5) rebound from an 0-4 start heading into Sunday's game against the Raiders (3-6).

"I think he was battling through some little nicks and injuries early on," quarterback Drew Brees said. "I think all of us just needed to find the mojo a little bit. It took four games to do it, but when you look at the last five games you'd say we've definitely had our moments where we feel like we're back to playing the type of football we know how to play."

Since the start of last season, Graham is second in the NFL among all tight ends in receptions (144), yards receiving (1,843) and touchdowns (18). That's quite a resume for someone who played just one year of football and four years of basketball in college at Miami.

But despite the lack of experience, Graham was drafted in the third round by the Saints in 2010 and has quickly emerged as one of the best in the league at his position.

"Graham is a matchup problem throughout the league," cornerback Ron Bartell said. "He runs like a wide receiver but has unusual size. He definitely presents a problem, but there are so many tight ends like that throughout the league. We just need to be fundamentally sound. If we're able to do that I think we'll come out fine."

The Raiders have struggled to do that this season. They allowed Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson to combine for seven catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns in last week's 55-20 loss at Baltimore as Oakland left the middle of the field wide open most of the game.

Heath Miller caught two TD passes for Pittsburgh earlier in the year against Oakland and Jacob Tamme and Joel Dreessen teamed up for a big day for Denver as well.

The defensive backs say much of the problem can be attributed to poor communication between the secondary and linebackers, which must be fixed immediately with Brees and the Saints coming to town.

"Oh, boy. It can't happen this week," cornerback Michael Huff said. "He's one of the smartest, one the greatest quarterbacks out there. Pre-snap, he kind of knows already what you're in, so we've got to hopefully disguise a little bit and make him think a little bit and let our pressure get him."

Complicating the task this week is the fact that Oakland strong safety Tyvon Branch has missed both practices so far with a neck injury sustained last week in Baltimore and his status for Sunday's game is in question.

Branch and outside linebacker Philip Wheeler have gotten the most time this season matching up against tight ends. Wheeler has struggled of late. He allowed six catches for 88 yards in six attempts last week and opposing quarterbacks have completed all 16 passes thrown his way the past three weeks, according to game charting by Pro Football Focus.

If Branch is limited at all, backup Mike Mitchell could get more time. Mitchell matched up frequently with tight ends in past years with some success, but has been mostly a special teams player this year.

"I'm curious to see how he's going to handle more of a physical, skill-position guy checking him at the line," Mitchell said. "Usually, he's too fast for linebackers and too big for DBs, but I've been able to have success on those guys because I'm a skilled position guy. I like to get my hands on you a little bit and slow you down. So, we'll see. It's going to be a tough matchup. He's very good. He's one of Drew Brees' favorite targets. If he can be eliminated, that takes a lot out of their offense."


(ap.com)

New Orleans tight end Jimmy Graham has been named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Sunday’s 31-27 victory against the Atlanta Falcons.

Graham caught seven passes for a career-high 146 yards. It marked the first time this season Graham had more than 100 receiving yards.

He also caught two touchdown passes as the Saints knocked the Falcons from the ranks of the unbeaten.


(espn.com)

There’s a new solo leader atop the league-wide list for dropped passes and it’s an NFC South player.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, New Orleans tight end Jimmy Graham leads the NFL with eight drops.

That puts him one drop ahead of Tampa Bay rookie running back Doug Martin, who is tied with three other players for second place. Atlanta’s Julio Jones has five drops. New Orleans’ Marques Colston and Darren Sproles and Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez each has four drops.

Tampa Bay’s Vincent Jackson still hasn’t dropped a pass this season and is one of only seven receivers with at least 30 targets without a drop.

Led by Graham, Colston and Sproles, the Saints are tied for third in team drops with 22. The Falcons are just one drop behind New Orleans.

Tampa Bay is tied for No. 26 with just 12 drops and 10 of them come from Martin and Mike Williams. The Carolina Panthers are tied for 29th with only 10 drops.


(espn.com)

Co-Offensive Players of the Week:

Jimmy Graham: proCane Saints TE Jimmy Graham hauled in seven passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns on eight targets to lead the Saints to a 31-27 victory over the Falcons in Week 10. Safety William Moore bit twice on the double move, allowing Drew Brees to throw a pair of pump-fake deep balls to Graham for a 29-yard touchdown and a 46-yard fourth-quarter gain. Graham added a 14-yard score just before halftime. After his first 100-yard game of the season, Graham is averaging a 7/94/1.3 line over the past three weeks.

Greg Olsen: Following an emotional week for proCane Panthers TE Greg Olsen in which he welcomed his son TJ home after being hospitalized after birth and undergoing surgery due to a heart condition, Olsen exploded for a career-high nine receptions, 102 yards and two touchdowns versus the Broncos in Week 10. The 102 yards are a regular-season career high. Tight ends have been the weak spot in Denver's defense all season and today was no different. Olsen had catches of 26 and 16 yards to set up a 4-yard touchdown and added a 5-yard score in garbage time.

Honorable Mention: Frank Gore, Reggie Wayne.

Defensive Player of Week:

Colin McCarthy: proCane Titans LB Colin McCarthy rose slowly after a violent hit and wobbled as he left the field. Three plays later he was back in the game and in the end zone, celebrating a 49-yard interception return for a touchdown. McCarthy and his team's embattled defense bounced back Sunday, when their four takeaways led to 20 points and helped the Titans beat the Miami Dolphins 37-3. McCarthy finished the game with 3 tackles, 1 tackle for loss one INT and a TD. McCarthy’s TD put the Titans up 21-0 and essentially the game out of reach for the Dolphins.

Honorable Mention: Vince Wilfork, Allen Bailey.

Special Teams Player of the Week:

Matt Bosher: proCane Falcons P Matt Bosher continued his great 2nd season with 3 punts for 140 yards and a 46.7 average. Bosher had a long of 52 yards and placed one of his punts inside the 20-yard line. Bosher is also Atlanta’s holder and held two successful field goals for Matt Bryant.

Tony Gonzalez was the tight end who made history during the New Orleans Saints' win over the Atlanta Falcons, but it was Jimmy Graham who had the big day. He had seven catches for 146 yards on Sunday, including two touchdowns. After Drew Brees hit Graham for a 29-yard touchdown, he switched up his well-known slam dunk celebration to add a spin move.


(sports.yahoo.com)

Jimmy Graham said he was finally able to "push" off his tender ankle in Monday's win over the Eagles.

Graham missed one game due to his ankle sprain and was limited in two others. On Monday, he looked really healthy en route to a 8/72/1 line. Graham is primed for a monster second half of the season.


(rotoworld.com)

New Orleans Saints TE Jimmy Graham posted a game-high eight receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown in the Week 9 game against the Philadelphia Eagles Monday, Nov. 5.

Fantasy Tip: Graham has posted TDs in back-to-back games, and he has found the end zone in five of the seven games he has played this season.


(kffl.com)

Pro Bowl TE Jimmy Graham returned to Saints practice Wednesday, but not on a full basis.

Interim coach Joe Vitt said Graham ran routes without defenders to test the sprained right ankle that kept him from traveling with the team to Tampa on Sunday.
“He did what we call land base stuff,” Vitt said. “He did routes on air. He looked very, very good. The doctors and the trainers are examining right now. He looked good.”

The Saints did not miss Graham in Tampa, rolling up 458 yards while scoring five touchdowns, but they would love to have him back this Sunday night when they face Denver and Peyton Manning.

“When Jimmy was down this last week that gave opportunities for others,” QB Drew Brees said. “What you love is when you have access to the full arsenal.”
The Saints had only two healthy tight ends at practice -- David Thomas and practice-squad player Mike Higgins. Third-string TE Daniel Graham, who has played in all six games as a blocking specialist, was out with a knee injury.

Still striving: Brees has been in vintage form the last three games, completing 91 of 136 (66.9 percent) passes for 1,192 yards, 11 scores and two interceptions, but he's been doing it almost all by himself.

The Saints rank dead last in the NFL in rushing, averaging 76.2 yards, and failed to pick up a critical first down that would have allowed them to run out the clock while protecting a 35-28 lead against Tampa Bay. Darren Sproles was stuffed on third-and-3, forcing them to punt, and the Buccaneers came within 9 yards of a tying touchdown.

“Obviously the running game is still a huge issue for us and something we're still working on,” T Zach Strief said. “But the offense has felt at times how we should be feeling and we have gotten going the way we'd like to.”

Despite the lack of help on the ground, Brees agreed.

“Definitely you feel that no matter what play is called, we're going to make it work and we have the opportunity to really make something happen,” he said.


(cbssports.com)

New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham will test his injured ankle on Wednesday and could be ready to take the field in Week 8, coach Joe Vitt said on Monday. Vitt said there was a pretty good chance of Graham being able to play against the Denver Broncos.

Graham was inactive for Sunday's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Graham was was limited late last week in practice and had been listed as questionable for Week 7. Graham hurt the ankle earlier this month against the San Diego Chargers.

Fantasy Impact: Fantasy owners counting on Graham had to be a little frustrated on Sunday but that is the risk of not having a backup plan for an injured player. His injury status will be monitored as the week goes along but there is a better chance he plays this week.

Graham remains a No. 1 fantasy tight end and should return soon.


(sbnation.com)

The Saints did not miss Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham when he sat out against Tampa Bay with a sprained ankle. They'd just assume not have to push their luck next Sunday night at Denver.

“He's an instant matchup nightmare for defenses,” wide receiver Lance Moore said. “We have a number of different guys that can do a lot of different things once we have everybody in there.”

Newly reinstated interim coach Joe Vitt said Monday the early signs were positive about Graham's return.

“We're going to test Jimmy Graham out Wednesday, but right now we feel good about it,” Vitt said. “We think he's got a good chance to be full go.”

Graham was limited in practice last Thursday and Friday before the Saints decided to leave him in New Orleans for their trip to Tampa. He hurt his right ankle in the first half against San Diego on Oct. 7, and the injury lingered through the bye week.

Drew Brees threw four TD passes in the Saints' 35-28 victory against Tampa Bay, including a go-ahead 20-yard strike to Graham's replacement, David Thomas. Moore and fellow wide receivers Marques Colston, Devery Henderson and Joseph Morgan combined for 20 catches and 317 yards.

For one day, Graham's 99 catches and 1,310 receiving yards from 2011 were irrelevant.

“We've done it before,” Moore said. “I missed a lot of games in 2009 (when New Orleans won the Super Bowl), and the offense didn't really suffer much at all. Those touches get spread around to a lot of different guys. That's what we do.”


(cbssports.com)

METAIRIE, La. – Saints tight end Jimmy Graham was limited during Thursday’s practice, a good sign as the third-year record-breaking player tries to get ready ahead of Sunday’s game at Tampa Bay.

Graham sprained his right ankle in the San Diego and though he returned, wasn’t a factor in the second half of that game.

“You always want to have your best players so we hope we’re going to have him,” Saints interim coach Aaron Kromer said. “If we don’t, then we just have to adjust accordingly with trying to get our best players on the field and using different personnel groups and ways to get other guys the ball.”

Kromer said Graham is a mismatch, meaning if he doesn’t play, the Saints lose an advantage on offense.

That said, Graham has the ability to not be full during the week and still play on Sunday.

“Jimmy is mentally ready and he’s a very tough guy,” Kromer said, “so pain doesn’t affect him. You saw him playing after he hurt his ankle in the game. Those kinds of things won’t affect him. He’ll know the game plan.”

And then there’s linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who remains on the physically unable to perform list as he tries to show the coaching staff that he’s healthy enough to play. He has spent the past few months rehabilitating from left knee surgery.

Thursday, Kromer said Vilma looked good.

“He’s running around well,” Kromer said. “He’s physically ready. H e has made some plays in practice that you’re impressed with. We’re excited and hoping he’s ready.”


(wwltv.com)

We were told on Tuesday that Saints tight end Jimmy Graham should be able to play on Sunday despite an ankle injury suffered during a Week Five win over the Chargers.  While that may indeed be the case, Graham wasn’t well enough to practice on Wednesday.

Mike Triplette of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that Graham didn’t practice on Wednesday, and that he looks to be “very questionable” for Sunday at Tampa.  Double-interim head coach Aaron Kromer declined to say whether Graham has a low or high ankle sprain, mentioning only that Graham “looked good” and that he was “able to run around a little.”

One guy who did practice but who probably won’t play this weekend is linebacker Jonathan Vilma.  The veteran defensive leader exited the Physically Unable to Perform list with a lingering knee injury.  Kromer, per Triplett, also used the “looked good” label for Vilma.

So far the Saints haven’t looked good.  They’ll get a chance to look better against the Bucs.  Either way, interim coach Joe Vitt returns to the sideline next week after his six-game suspension ends.


(profootballtalk.com)

A source with knowledge of the situation tells Profootballtalk.com Jimmy Graham (ankle) will play in Week 7.

The Saints have maintained radio silence on Graham's status since he went down in Week 5, but the fact that he played through the injury against the Chargers suggested he'd be ready to roll following a two-week layoff. We'll get our first tangible clue as to his Week 7 status when the Saints return to practice on Wednesday, but for now owners can pencil their TE1 into the lineup.


(rotoworld.com)

Update: Graham left the Saints' locker room after Sunday night's game against the Chargers with a walking boot on his right foot as the result of a sprained ankle he sustained in the contest, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

Recommendation: Graham hurt his ankle in the second quarter of Sunday's game, but was able to return in the second half, finishing up with one catch for four yards on two targets. Afterward, all coach Aaron Kromer said about Graham's injury was, "We'll see." The Saints are on bye this week, which is a case of good timing for Graham. In any case, his owners will need to find a Week 6 plug-in for him and then track his status leading up to Week 7's game against the Bucs.


(sports.yahoo.com)

Tight end Jimmy Graham hurt his ankle near the end of the first half and his subsequent return to the game won’t quiet all worry about his condition during the bye week. Larry Holder of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that Graham, who had just one catch for four yards on Sunday night, was in a walking boot after the game and interim coach Aaron Kromer said that the team needed to take some time to figure out where things stand with the tight end.

“Jimmy was a little banged up as the game went along,” Kromer said, via WWL-TV. “We’ll see how he is.”


(rotoworld.com)

Jimmy Graham caught six passes for 85 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's loss to the Redskins.

Graham's 20-yard touchdown was a beautiful catch over the middle in double coverage in which he leaped up over the linebacker and in front of the safety and caught it in the middle of the endzone. Graham did get banged up a couple of times on Sunday, though, leaving the contest for one play with what looked to be a wrist tweak. On the other occasion, Redskins safety Madieu Williams popped Graham helmet-to-helmet late in the fourth quarter. Graham is a top-three fantasy tight end for the 2012 season.


(rotoworld.com)

Kosar's involvement with Graham in a Sports Illustrated article:

"We had some similar friends and I heard he was trying to get in touch with me," said Kosar. "So one day we were hanging out in a backyard with a bunch of them and we start playing catch. He's got as good a pair of hands as anybody I've thrown to, and I've played in AFC Championship games.

"Then I started talking about routes and he seemed to pick it up. And with that physical presence and the way he uses his body, I could throw it 11 feet in the air and he'd still jump up 12 feet to get it. I kept telling him, 'Jimmy, not only are you going to be a great player, you're going to be a superstar. He looked at me like I was an idiot or trying to be nice. But I just believed it from the first time I threw to him."

Kosar would spend the next few months throwing to Graham, traveling to various high school fields around Miami to run posts and fades, to talk about how to use his hands and how to get separation from defensive backs. "We worked on the release and [depth] of the routes, and that whether you bow out to the corner or do a middle read vs. a Tampa-2 or a hook, it should all look the same," Kosar said. "He was like a sponge, trying to listen, trying to get the footwork down. "Early on he wasn't sure if he was doing it right. I'm not sure he was ever really confident because he'd never really done it. Now he knows he's good, he knows he's going to get open, he knows he's going to catch the ball."

Next, I went to Twitter to see if anyone was talking about Graham and Kosar. As it turns out, it sounds like Kosar was listening to the broadcast live and heard the complimentary remarks. Here is a series of tweets that ensued from Kosar:

Wow on CBS now watching My Little Brother Jimmy Graham just catch Another touch Down Pass for Drew Brees &Talk about all the work we DID

jimmy Is A Special Person!for him Not To Be A Brown Is A Sin,But Mickey Loomis and Coach Peyton Trusted me &they have a SuperStar

“@Cooper7r: @BernieKosarQB Were Browns interested?”I tried hard but once again no one listened!!he is great person,we could Really Use

“@sthrob77: @BernieKosarQB just another strike against Mangini”it wasn't all Eric,everyone knew how I felt

“@GBasch: @BernieKosarQB you got a nice shoutout on CBS for "discovering" jimmy graham. Should have brought him to CLE!”I TRIED

For those who aren't used to Twitter, Kosar implied that he tried hard to push the front office in 2010 to draft Graham, but it fell on deaf ears, no matter who he told. In 2010, Graham was taken by the Saints in the third round with the 95th overall pick. Three picks earlier, with the 92nd overall pick, the Browns were on the clock. They took offensive guard Shawn Lauvao.

Hopefully Cleveland ends up getting their own "gem" with tight end Jordan Cameron, who has had an impressive camp and could end up being the team's starting tight end on opening day.


(dawgsbynature.com)

Jimmy Graham caught three balls for a team-high 48 yards and a touchdown in the Saints' preseason game Saturday night against Houston.
Graham boxed out and split two defenders on his eight-yard touchdown in the second quarter, conjuring up memories of his basketball-playing days. Graham has reportedly been "unguardable" in training camp practices and stands only to get better. He's worth consideration late in the first round of fantasy drafts.


(nola.com)

After coming off of a terrific season like Jimmy Graham’s 2011/12 campaign, many athletes would be thinking about getting a little bit of a raise.

You won’t find New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham in the group however.

At least, not yet.

Graham, despite only one season of college football, and four seasons of basketball at the University of Miami, flourished in his second year with the Saints in 2011. Catching 99 passes, for 1,310 yards, and 11 touchdowns, Graham was second only to Rob Gronkowski in stats by a tight end in a single season, and those statistics were more than good enough to send Graham to the Pro Bowl last year.

What’s scary is that Graham could get even better. He’ll only turn 26-years old this football season,  and with only one year of college football experience, and two years of NFL experience under his belt, it’s reasonable to think he will improve.

After being drafted in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Saints, Graham caught 31 passes, for 356 yards, and five touchdowns  in his rookie year, before his breakout season a year ago.

Graham signed a four-year, $2.445 contract with the Saints prior to his rookie campaign.

It’s good to see that Graham has an intelligent approach about his contract right now. Sure, there’s always the possibility of him getting hurt, or just simply regressing, thereby costing himself from future dollars, but he also knows that if he puts up numbers even remotely similar to what he put up last season, this season, then he’s going to be one wealthy man at this time next year, or down the road.

You hate to get overly excited about a guy that has had only one big year, but I think if Graham stays healthy, and stays grounded, he can be one of the all-time greats at his position.


(espn1420.com)

New Orleans Saints interim coach Joe Vitt said Thursday that tight end Jimmy Graham will play Friday in an exhibition game against Jacksonville. Graham, who caught 99 passes for 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns last season had been out since injuring his back in practice last week.

Graham, whose 1,310 receiving yards last year were the second-most ever for a tight end, is one of the Saints' offensive weapons who creates matchup problems for the Saints with his 6-foot-7 size and superior athleticism.

Another of those matchup nightmares, diminutive running back Darren Sproles, is expected to miss Friday's game, a 7 p.m. kickoff at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, with a sore knee. Sproles' 2,696 all-purpose yards led the NFL last year.

Interim Saints head coach Joe Vitt on Thursday broke down what makes Graham and Sproles such nightmares for defenses and why they're such important pieces of the Saints' offense.

"You have a big-bodied guy like Jimmy Graham that can go out and have matchup problems with a corner, have matchup problems with a safety, and you know you have matchup problems with a linebacker," Vitt said. "Then you have the same thing with Darren Sproles. It is kind of interesting, when Darren Sproles comes in to the game, how are people looking at him. Are they treating him as a wide receiver and are they going to bring their nickel in? Well, if they don't bring their nickel in, you are going to motion him out to the perimeter and you are going to guarantee a matchup on a linebacker. It's a chess match and those two guys give you the affordability to do a lot of different things.

"I think today's defenses are all matchup-oriented by personnel or like-people. I think that is one of the things our offense has done well with. Then you have a guy like Drew Brees that identifies the coverage so early in the down and goes to that mismatch and gets the ball out."


(al.com)

"What events are we talking about here, a decathlon? I don't even know why I am pausing here because it is obviously him. I am just trying to figure out where I might have an edge. ... I can get him on archery. There's a few things. If you guys wanted to put together a 10-event Olympiad between me and Jimmy, then I'm game. Let's do it." - New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees on if he would be a better Olympian than tight end Jimmy Graham


(nola.com)

New Orleans Saints assistant head coach Joe Vitt reported mostly good news on the Saints' injury front Friday, following their 7-6 preseason loss to the New England Patriots the night before. He didn't report any new specific injuries, and he said several players are expected back when they return to the practice field Monday.

Tight end Jimmy Graham (back), tailback Mark Ingram (undisclosed - but likely resting his knee) and cornerback Patrick Robinson (shoulder) are all expected to practice Monday. Linebacker David Hawthorne (hip) is also likely to return on a limited basis, depending on how he looks on Sunday night.


(nola.com)

Jimmy Graham is one of several players that the Saints absolutely need to stay healthy in 2012. Drew Brees is clearly the most important player to the team, but Graham (along with Darren Sproles) isn't all that far behind in terms of making that offense hum. So it's never good to have him suffer a back injury while making a catch in practice before the season even begins.

According to Brees and interim coach Joe Vitt, however, Graham is "fine."

"He was fine," Brees said. "In typical Jimmy Graham fashion he was completely selling out for a ball that was way up over his head. He ended up catching it for a huge play in practice. But at a time that we're just wearing shells and trying to take it easy of course he's going 1,000 miles an hour and just came down a little funny. Just kind of needed to shake it off, but he's fine."

Per Larry Holder of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Graham "landed hard on his back while making a touchdown catch." Afterwards Graham went to the sideline "where he immediately fell to the turf in pain." Graham stretched his back and "walked around gingerly" and apparently avoided speaking with the media following practice.

"I saw him take a fall right here," Vitt told reporters. "If there was anything serious the trainers would've come to me. He just gone in there to get stretched out. He's fine."

So ... whew? Maybe: Brees and Vitt are obviously pointing out how great Graham feels, but if he was in serious pain on the sideline and didn't talk to reporters, well, that doesn't really sound like "fine," now does it?

That being said, Graham's a tough dude. He was able to walk. He shook off the injury. If he can't get back out to practice or is unable to play in the Saints preseason game against the Patriots on Thursday -- his status is currently unknown -- then we can start getting concerned.


(cbssports.com)

FOXBORO — They are considered the two best tight ends in the league, the two deadliest weapons over the middle of the field, and especially where it counts most — the red zone.

Debates have raged during the offseason between football pundits and fantasy experts on which third year tight end you’d rather have, which one is truly better.
Rob Gronkowski or Jimmy Graham?

Tom Brady’s 6-foot-6, 265-pound matchup nightmare, or the 6-6, 260-pound freak Drew Brees has lining up for him?

Gronk or Graham? The Patriot or the Saint? They’ve been analyzed and dissected, right down to their distinctive touchdown celebrations. One spikes. The other dunks.

They were both on display yesterday with the Pats and Saints engaging in their first joint practice session of the week. And as usual, neither one could be adequately stopped or covered by the opposing team’s defense.

“They’re both such a tough task,” Pats cornerback Kyle Arrington said of the dueling tight ends. “Graham is a pretty good basketball player. He hasn’t played football that long, but you watch him, and it looks like he has. He’s just so athletically freakish.”

Gronk, of course, can do it all. He can block with the best of tight ends, and he’s big and fast and can catch the football. He’s virtually unstoppable in the red zone. Graham, meanwhile, having a hoop background, has amazing athleticism. He’s more in the Aaron Hernandez mold, but can also leap tall buildings while going up to get the football.

Ask Graham if he’d take himself over Gronkowski and Hernandez, and the athletically freakish hoop player turned tight end doesn’t hesitate. He’d pick himself.
“Of course I would,” Graham said. “I mean, I’m young. The thing about me, I’ve been playing for three years. I know I’m getting better. I’m focused on getting better. I know my weaknesses. I know where I need to improve.”

Graham described the tight end wars as “friendly competition.”

Gronk wouldn’t go there. He wouldn’t even acknowledge a competition existed between the players, who were drafted in the second (Gronkowski) and third rounds (Graham) in 2010.

“There really is no competition. He’s a great player and that’s why every team has the position of tight end,” Gronk said yesterday. “He’s a great guy, a great player you can put the film on and see what he is doing to get open cause he’s doing a great job at it and you can learn from him. You can learn from other tight ends in the league, they’re doing such a great job and you want to take their concepts too and add it to your game.”

What might he be watching in Graham to study during these few days?

“His speed, his separation,” Gronk said. “He’s good at the long ball, how he goes up and grabs it in the air. I mean, he used to be a basketball player, so it’s kind of cool to see him go up and grab the ball at the highest point and that’s something you always want to do when the ball is coming at you.”

Graham also watches his “competition.”

“I think we all watch each other. I use the film, I try to take little bits that I can from each one of them,” Graham said. “Hernandez and Gronkowski. (Tony) Gonzalez in Atlanta. (Antonio) Gates (in San Diego). I study film a lot. Gronkowski uses his body really well. Me and him are similar in size. And Hernandez is really good in the routes. His technique and his routes is among the best as far as tight ends go.

“Hopefully I can learn from both those guys.”

Teams are still searching for that Gronk buster or Graham stuffer.

What might that player look like?

“I don’t know. Hungry, working hard,” said Graham. “I think that our teams exploit our talents very well. We’re very similar. (Tom) Brady and (Drew) Brees, they definitely go to us in the red zone. They definitely enable us to use our size and our body down the field.”

So who has the better touchdown celebration? The Gronk spike or the Graham dunk?

“His spikes are pretty good. He’s got some velocity on those,” Graham said. “But I’d rather dunk it any day.”

Funny thing, though. The best tight end on the field yesterday wasn’t Gronk or Graham. It was Hernandez. His one-handed catch down the sideline on a bomb from Brady was breathtaking.

But let’s not spoil a good duel.


(boston.com)

METAIRIE, La. — Jimmy Graham flies airplanes upside down.

So when quarterback Drew Brees says "the sky is the limit" for the third-year tight end out of Miami, he isn’t kidding.

Graham argues that he isn’t so much crazy as driven to extraordinary things.

"I love flying, man. It’s very freeing, very challenging," Graham said after a training camp practice this week. "One day I want to do air races. I’ll dominate."

If Graham’s learning curve is as quick with stunt flying as it has been with playing football, he very well could be an air racing maestro one day. After playing four years of college basketball at Miami and only one season of football for the Hurricanes, it took him only two pro seasons to become Brees’ top target and a Pro Bowl tight end.

Last season, Graham led the Saints in receptions (99), yards receiving (1,310) and touchdown catches (11). An yet, as he heads into his third pro season with more fanfare than at any point in his life, this man who loves to fly has every intention of remaining personally as well-grounded as possible
"I feel like I did all those things just being Jimmy," Graham said. "So for me it’s not changing anything, always working as hard as you can and keeping everything in front of you, just one step at a time, not thinking that anything is too big, or that you’re too big for anything.

"I continually focus on staying humble and hungry and that’s how I’ll be the rest of my career."

Oddly enough, the 6-foot-7, 265-pound Graham was too big to be a fighter pilot, a childhood dream ever since he saw his favorite movie, "Top Gun."
"Then I wanted to be a Navy Seal or a Marine, but then I got even bigger, so I played basketball," Graham recalled.

During his junior year at Miami, however, he had an opportunity to sit in a single-engine plane with a pilot certified in aerobatics. Asked if he wanted to see what it was like to fly upside down, Graham said he did, and was hooked on flying ever since.

Shortly after turning pro, he started taking flying lessons and recently got his pilot’s license. While he never executes loops or rolls without an instructor in the seat next to him, he expects to be fully certified in aerobatics sometime in the next year.

His first order of business, however, is the 2012 football season. And it seems full of promise, given how much difficulty Saints defenders have had stopping him in practice.

"He’s tall, fast and can catch the ball. There are a lot of times where you’ll be in perfect position and you just can’t stop him, plus the fact that he has Drew Brees as a quarterback who can put it right where the defensive back can’t get it," free safety Malcolm Jenkins said. "He’s a special player. He’s really shown everybody what he’s got last year and he’s doing better this year. I think his route-running has been crisper. He’s understanding defenses and his offense."

Graham still sees a variety of areas in which he can improve, particularly his blocking. He also wants to run routes better and rack up more yards after the catch.

"I am kind of a perfectionist and I am always looking to get better any way possible," Graham said. "Whenever I look back to last year ... I had a lot of missed opportunities out there, a lot of balls that I could have gotten to, a lot of routes that I should have been more disciplined on."

When Graham talks like that, he sounds like Brees, who routinely laments missed throws after big wins in which he has passed for well over 300 yards. It would make sense that Brees’ influence would rub off on Graham, given that the Saints star quarterback routinely pokes his head into tight end film sessions to instruct Graham on improvements he could make to his route running.

"It’s all constructive criticism. I wouldn’t even call it criticism. It’s progress," Brees said. "I feel like we’ve been really good at doing certain things and yet I still feel like we can make some hay in a lot of areas and continue to get a little bit better.

"Jimmy Graham only had one full year as a starter. The sky is the limit for this guy," Brees continued. "The good thing about him is that he doesn’t necessarily need to be pushed or motivated. He is self-motivated. He is driven. He’s got a fire that burns inside of him. But then again, just like I am going to push myself, I’m going to push him as much as I can."

While Graham tries not to let his growing fame go to his head, he has been pleased with how it has allowed him to promote his social agenda — namely, helping at-risk youth find healthy foster home environments.

"It elevates my ability to help out kids and parents who really don’t understand how much they can do to affect their kids negatively or positively," Graham said.
Graham, the child of a single mother, grew up poor and lived part of his childhood in a group home for youth, where he was sometimes picked on and beaten up. His life turned around when he was adopted by a young woman in his hometown who led a youth prayer group at church.

Graham said he hopes orphaned or abandoned children, along with prospective foster parents, see how his life turned out, "and it touches them, and lets them know that it can be done. You just have to do it the right way."


(boston.com)

New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham was asked a simple, straightforward question: What defensive back on the team gives him the most trouble when Drew Brees arches a fade route pass to the 6-foot-7 Graham in the back of the end zone?

Graham gave a quiet smile as the wheels turned in his head. He knew what he wanted to say, but he didn't quite know how to put it. As safety Malcolm Jenkins said, Graham is trying to be a little more reserved this season.

"You know what, he's a little more humble this year, I think," Jenkins said. "He exploded on the scene last year and did a lot of good things. He knows what he's capable of, and he's hungry to continue to get better. You're still going to see Jimmy get fired up. That's not going to change. That's just who he is, and we love it."

Finally, Graham answered the question, unable to hold back any longer.

"I don't know," he said. "For the most part, I'm about a foot taller than most of those guys, so there aren't a lot of defensive backs that give me a lot of trouble. It's a route that I'm very good at. Drew has very good touch, so it's very hard to defend ... and I don't know how Malcolm Jenkins is going to cover it."

Graham, however, said there are several facets of his game that he hopes to improve, including run and pass blocking and gaining more yards after the catch.
"I know I have to block better," Graham said. "I think that's going to help me with my routes, and I think that's going to help guys when I stay in and double team, when I'm showing I can push guys off the ball and be an every down tight end and play 65 snaps a game."

Graham said that Brees also pushes him to get better, on and off the field.

"This offseason, he called me a few times to see if I was working," Graham said. "He definitely is always challenging me at every moment. Sometimes, I'll be sitting in the film room with the tight ends and Drew will send another quarterback to peek his head in and tell me what I should have done on this route."
Brees said he thinks the two can improve their connection and better the 99-reception season Graham enjoyed in 2011.

"It's funny because when we're watching film, there are times when we're watching film all together, and there's times when we're separate with our coaches," Brees said. "I'll see something and it's one of those coaching points when I immediately want to run down to the tight end room and be like, 'Hey Jimmy, on this play, I'm looking for this or that.' It's progress. We're trying to take this thing to the next level."


(nola.com)

Borrowing the popular idea from the NFL Network, our New Orleans Saints coverage team came up with our ranking of the top 25 players on the Saints' roster heading into the 2012 season. The idea is to make these rankings as current as possible - essentially deciding who would be the best players on the field if they lined up for a game today. Therefore, past accomplishments and potential are both factored in.

Obviously, that led to some tough decisions, and obviously that will lead to plenty of second guessing. And we'd love to hear it. Feel free to add your comments below as we unveil the list daily leading up to the start of training camp.

NO. 2 TE JIMMY GRAHAM
Year 3, Age 25. Ht. 6-7, Wt. 265.
SAINTS COLUMNIST MIKE TRIPLETT'S TAKE:

We're all so familiar with Graham's rise to stardom now that we risk taking it for granted. But it's worth re-stating the obvious: This guy just started playing football three years ago, and he's already developed into one of the most dynamic tight ends in NFL history.

Graham's first full year as the Saints' starter in 2011 was spectacular. He caught 99 passes for 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns. He briefly broke the NFL record for receiving yards by a tight end before New England's Rob Gronkowski passed him up minutes later.

Chances are, Graham will get another crack at the record before his career is up. After all, he's still new to the sport.

Defenses definitely will start devoting more attention and resources to Graham as he's clearly emerged as the Saints' top offensive weapon. But Graham saw a lot of that as last season went on, and he proved he could handle it just fine. As Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins says below, there's some skills that no defensive strategy can stop.

SAINTS S MALCOLM JENKINS' TAKE:
"He's just a pure athlete. There's a lot of stuff where he just has God-given talent that you can't stop. Most of the time, he's taller than everybody, longer than everybody, he can jump higher. And those are the things that, no matter how good your technique or your knowledge of the game is, those are things you just can't stop. Then when you pair him with a quarterback like Drew Brees or even Chase Daniel, it's hard to stop. Some plays that Jimmy makes, as a defense, you just have to live with it and know that as a defense you're just going to have to make them earn it. You've got to force him to make phenomenal plays all the time. He's a force of nature that you really can't stop."


(nola.com)

Jimmy Graham soars over opponents on a regular basis.

So it’s no surprise the Saints tight end is getting some pre-training camp work in at altitude.

Graham has spent part of the last two summers in Steamboat Springs, Colo.

“The week before (training) camp I make sure I’m in Steamboat,”Graham told Luke Graham of the Craig Daily Press. “It’s to get those extra red blood cells. I can tell a big difference.

“Camp in the NFL — what you do in the offseason helps you survive camp.”

Graham lives in Miami in the offseason, and spends plenty of time there working out with former “U” alumni such as Ray Lewis, Andre Johnson and others. The South Florida heat is one thing, as well as the humidity of Metarie, La., where he’ll report to training camp soon.

But heading to the ski resort town has become part of his ritual, for two or three weeks of running and lifting, along with hiking and mountain biking (logging at least three hours and 25 miles a day).

“For me it’s the community. For me I feel like everyone’s mindset here is really outdoor training,” Graham said. “It seems like everyone is working out. Last movie you can watch here is at 8 p.m. People are in bed at 9 p.m. to go hiking at 6 a.m. To be around that is a great atmosphere.”

It’s also great training, and it can’t hurt his progress in becoming one of the best tight ends in the game.


(profootballtalk.com)

Saints Pro Bowl TE Jimmy Graham spoke with NFL Network’s Lindsay Rhodes and Jamie Dukes after he was named No. 14 on “The Top 100: Players of 2012.”

Below are some nuggets from the interview. You can watch the full interview here. 

On being the top tight end on NFL Network’s “Top 100: Players of 2012”…
“I was honored because it was my peers who voted for this. I know there are going to be debates with me versus Gronk (Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski).”

On earning so many accolades after being a third-round draft pick…
“It’s been a long process. It’s been a lot of hard work. One of the craziest things is that I am so young. I am still learning. Every day in OTAs and mini-camp practices I am taking another strive forward. To be playing the game for two and a half years now, I still feel like there is a lot of room or me to grow.”

On where he can improve…
“No. 1 for me is blocking. Sometimes with the sets and schemes we have I am not doing it as much but last year in the beginning I was blocking a lot more. I know that it is something that will help me get open. If I can block and protect Drew (Brees), defenses are going to have to respect that where they can’t always double cover me.”

On how QB Drew Brees has helped him improve…
“Drew is like an older brother to me. He has really taken me under his wing. The thing about him is that he is so hard on me. Every time I make a mistake he is the first one telling me what to do but it’s tough love. He is always constructive with his criticism. He has been one of the main parts of me growing so quickly.”


(neworleanssaint.com)

Four proCanes are ranked in the NFL Top 100 poll in spots 20-11. proCane Saints TE Jimmy Graham points himself out at Number 14.

Additionally, Frank Gore was ranked at Number 28, Devin Hester 48, Jon Vilma 58, Vince Wilfork 81, Willis McGahee 98.

The proliferation of the passing game in the NFL has led to a renaissance of the tight end position. Teams are building passing games around the talents of big, athletic pass catchers over the middle of the field. The results have been spectacular.

Last season, seven tight ends ranked among the top 21 in catches. Two tight ends -- Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham -- topped the 1,300-yard mark, ranking sixth and seventh, respectively, in receiving yards. In addition, Gronkowski led the league in receiving touchdowns (17), while Graham finished tied for fourth with 11 scores.

Given the impressive impact and production of Gronkowski and Graham, I thought it'd be interesting to compare them in five critical areas and determine who reigns supreme as an overall player.

Here are my findings:
Athleticism
Graham is the latest former college basketball player to storm the football field. At 6-foot-6, 260 pounds, Graham towers over defenders on the perimeter and routinely utilizes post-up skills acquired from his previous sport to create space over the middle. Graham's exceptional body control, agility and movement skills are complemented by an impressive vertical leap and wingspan that makes him nearly indefensible in isolated matchups. Throw in his 4.56 speed -- the second-fastest time recorded by a tight end at the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine -- and it's easy to see why opponents are having difficult time finding a defender (or two) capable of slowing down the third-year pro. Just take a look at the video to your right from the NFC divisional game against the San Francisco 49ers to see his remarkable athleticism on full display.
Gronkowski doesn't boast the multi-sport résumé of Graham, but he is an impressive athlete of his own accord. He dwarfs defenders on the perimeter with similarly imposing physical dimensions (6-foot-6, 260 pounds with 34 1/4-inch arms and 10 3/4-inch hands), but also displays the agility to run past linebackers in space. Although Gronkowski's movement skills aren't as fluid as many smaller NFL players, his ability to stop and start with quickness is uncommon for a man of his size and build.
Advantage: Graham

Route running
Graham entered the NFL with only one year of major college football experience, but he has quickly become one of the most polished players at the position. As a route runner, in particular, Graham has become a masterful technician with the savvy and skill to set up defenders with clever head fakes and route stems (weaving to get a defender into a head-up position to create a two-way go for himself). In addition, he has displayed the awareness to break his routes at angles that prevent defenders from stepping in front of the intended throws. Although this is a coaching point that is stressed to pass catchers from the first day of minicamp, the fact that Graham has already mastered some of the nuances of the position at this stage of his career suggests he will remain one of the top playmakers at tight end for years to come.
Gronkowski is a little awkward and unorthodox as a technician, but he has developed into an effective route runner in space. He excels at utilizing his size, strength and athleticism to create separation from defenders. His ability to consistently work free over the middle has made him Tom Brady's favorite target in the red zone. As a result, Gronkowski set a single-season record in receiving touchdowns (17) by a tight end in 2011 and became the first tight end to lead the league in touchdown receptions.
Advantage: Graham

Hands
Graham is an outstanding pass catcher with exceptional hands and ball skills. He tracks and adjusts well to errant passes, particularly high balls thrown over the top of defenders. This not only makes Graham difficult to defend in isolated matchups, but also makes him indefensible in the red zone on fades and posts thrown to the back of the end zone. Graham's ability to come down with difficult grabs in the end zone -- like this one -- makes him a coveted commodity for any offense.

Gronkowski displays extraordinary hands and ball skills as the Patriots' top playmaker. He excels at coming down with contested balls in traffic, which encourages Brady to target him on third-down and red-zone situations. He has an uncanny knack for making the difficult grab appear routine, and his consistency hauling in seemingly uncatchable balls is remarkable, considering his size and skill. In looking back at Gronkowski's three-touchdown performance against the Denver Broncos in the AFC divisional round, it was his outstanding concentration on the 10-yard touchdown (video to your right) that stood out in my mind. Gronkowski's ability to extend and maintain control of the ball with his fingertips would be astounding for any receiver, but it's particularly jarring for a tight end with his size and build.
Advantage: Gronkowski

Run blocking
In today's NFL, tight ends are not expected to block with the physicality and ferocity of their predecessors. Graham certainly falls into that category, based on the way the Saints have employed him over his first two seasons. He is routinely deployed in a wide alignment, away from the end of the line, or put in motion to allow him to utilize his athleticism to position block (using his body as a shield to keep defenders from getting into the play) on the edge. While he enjoys some success in that capacity, Graham is certainly not a trained killer in the running game.

Gronkowski is the most quintessential throwback tight end. He not only gives you outstanding production in the passing game, but he is a rugged blocker adept at moving defenders off the ball. Gronkowski's combination of size, strength and tenacity overwhelms linebackers at the point of attack, and allows the Patriots to routinely direct their running game to his side. With Gronkowski also showing a willingness to finish in a physical and aggressive manner, it is hard to find another tight end that rivals his effectiveness in the run game.
Advantage: Gronkowski

Impact
Graham quietly put up one of the best statistical seasons of any tight end in NFL history. He nearly topped the 100-catch mark and posted a 1,300-yard season, which is a remarkable feat for a tight end. Graham's 18 receptions of 20-plus yards ranked second among NFL tight ends (behind Gronkowski), and his 11 touchdowns placed him fourth in the league in receiving scores. While his statistical production stands out, it is his ability to make timely plays in the clutch that makes him one of the most explosive playmakers to enter the league in some time.

Gronkowski now owns the NFL's single-season records in receiving yardage (1,327) and touchdowns receptions (17) by a tight end, but those numbers don't fully demonstrate his overall impact on the field. He is a game changer at the position, with the size and skill to make impact plays from anywhere on the field. He has shown the ability to stretch the field on vertical routes down the seam, but is most effective as the big target in the red zone. He routinely overwhelms defenders in isolated matchups, and his spectacular production is a testament to his big-play ability. Gronkowski's ability to make catch-and-run plays in the open field sets him apart from others at the position. Watch the video to your right, and take note of Gronkowski's speed and acceleration as he pulls away from defenders on this 52-yard touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Advantage: Gronkowski

Conclusion
It's hard to go wrong with either Graham or Gronkowski as the choice in this debate because both bring exceptional playmaking abilities to the table. Graham is a matchup nightmare with the athleticism of a receiver in a tight end's body. He is just scratching the surface of his immense talent and potential as a developmental player, which is a scary thought for the rest of the league.

Gronkowski is equally as imposing with his size, strength and skill. He overwhelms defenders with his ability to take over games as both a pass catcher and a devastating blocker on the edge. With a game that is nearly flawless in every aspect, I have to give Gronkowski the nod over Graham in a debate that is as close as you'll find in the NFL.


(nfl.com)

While the Drew Brees contract negotiations and fallout from the findings of the league’s investigation into the Saints’ alleged bounty program have dominated NFL headlines this offseason, New Orleans’ breakout star of 2011, TE Jimmy Graham, quietly has gone about the business of preparing to build on his stellar second season.

Graham, who had 99 catches (third in the league) for 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, has critiqued his performance — he recently said he left 30 catches “on the table” in ’11 — and is looking for ways to improve.

The Saints’ focus is on signing Brees to a long-term deal, but Graham is well on his way to earning a big payday. Graham is signed through the 2013 season and is due to make $540,000 in ’12 and $575,000 in ’13, making him one of the league’s top bargains. While rewarding Graham, even with two years left on his deal, might be something the Saints would consider in an average year, it's difficult to envision Graham signing a new deal anytime soon with the team so strapped for cap space.


(profootballweekly.com)

Jimmy Graham was the MVP of the Saints' offseason workouts, according to the Times-Picayune.

Graham isn't slowing down after ripping off a jaw-dropping 99/1,310/11 line last season. He's entering just his fourth season of organized football after focusing on basketball for much of his life, meaning there's still plenty of room for improvement. Graham is sporting a second-round ADP in early fantasy drafts.


(rotoworld.com)

METAIRIE, La. -- Jimmy Graham doesn't need motivation. His well-told life story proves that.

Sent to a group home by his own struggling mother, Graham overcame a fragmented, troubled upbringing to become a college basketball player at the University of Miami and eventually an NFL star for the New Orleans Saints . Only with intense personal will does one emerge from such circumstances.

And still, whether he wants it or not, whether it's necessary or not, motivation just arrived for the Pro Bowler.

And it comes in the form of, as Randy Moss famously said, straight cash, homey.

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski just signed a six-year, $54-million extension that, if he stays healthy, will make him among the game's most well-paid tight ends. And all eyes turn to Graham.

Drafted in the same year, the NFL's two most electric weapons at their position will forever be linked. They are also linked on the stat sheet, as Gronkowski's 90-catch, 1,327-yard season with 17 touchdowns narrowly eclipsed what would have been a record-setting year for Graham. As it was, the Saints' 6-foot-7 monster had 99 catches for 1,310 yards and 11 scores.

One can't help but wonder if Graham is next to cash in. He'd never say it. Graham isn't that kind of guy. In another market, in a different situation, maybe Graham would be appearing on dating shows like Gronkowski is or filling up the gossip pages. But don't think Graham's not driven to match his work.

"He's definitely deserved everything he's got, the Pro Bowl and all his other accolades," Saints tackle Jermon Bushrod said. "Given he had a crazy situation growing up and took his life to the top, he's a star. Hat's off to the guy, because he worked extremely hard to get where he is today."

Gronkowski and Graham are not similar players, except they play the same position. Gronkowski is a mauling blocker, along with his skills as a receiver. Graham is a tight end in name only, often thriving in a flexed-out alignment. But both can abuse corners and safeties alike, creating matchup issues. Both force a team to decide whether one or two players should worry about them.

Yet Gronkowski just received a new deal that includes an $8 million signing bonus. Graham is set to make $540,000 in 2012 and $575,000 in 2013. He can thank being a third-rounder for that.

Gronk is a star. On the field, so is Graham. He just isn't seen as one. He's quiet, reserved and doesn't seek the limelight.

Graham recently started flying single-engine planes, and that disclosure caused barely a ripple in the media world. Imagine if Gronk became a pilot. Cameras would clamor to take a shot of his Zubaz pants piling into the cockpit. Not with Graham.

"I think Jimmy's a little more low-key," said Saints tight end David Thomas , who spent time in New England early in his career. "You see him out on the field, he's very energetic and I think the team feeds off his energy. But off the field, I think he's very low-key, very relaxed and very humble. He keeps to himself. I think he enjoys his solitude."

As for a new contract, it's far-fetched to think one for Graham is imminent . For one, the Saints' top priority is getting Drew Brees signed to a long-term extension. And, of course, there is the bounty investigation. It takes up so much of the attention directed at the Saints, and it's been that way all offseason.

And so, Graham is left away from the media throng, which is probably how he likes it. His contract situation is rarely debated, which he probably doesn't mind.

But soon enough, Graham will generate the attention. It will be deserved.


(nfl.com)

New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham is one of the most extraordinary people you'll ever find in a NFL locker room, and it has nothing to do with the fact that he's also one of the most gifted athletes to play his position. Graham's life story has been well-documented. How he never knew his father growing up, how he was abandoned by his mother at a group home at age 11, how he was routinely beaten by older boys, how he was eventually taken in by a single mother who changed his life.

That he overcame those hurdles to become a college graduate and now a budding NFL star is remarkable. Even more remarkable is his zest for life.

It would be easy to picture Graham as a guarded or cynical person after everything he has been through. Instead, he stands out as someone who appreciates where he came from and what it took to get here.

"I know how much hard work went into me getting to this moment, so to work that hard and then not to enjoy it ..." Graham said, leaving the thought unfinished. "Not to enjoy life after so many years of not knowing, and then switching sports (from basketball to football) when you're 23 years old ... you know, life is tough, man. But whenever you've come through some things and things are a little bit easier for you, you've got to enjoy it."

From the time Graham arrived as a rookie in 2010 to his dynamic breakout performance in 2011, he has always seemed like he's just plain having a lot of fun.

And though that seems like a no-brainer, it's not always the case in the businesslike atmosphere of professional sports. He's still excited when he talks about learning the game and meeting veteran players around the NFL. It's something coaches and teammates said stands out about him.

Graham treats his whole life that way -- including his newfound passion for flying single-engine aerobatic planes. Though it might make the Saints cringe to hear about it, Graham gets especially excited when he talks about flips and stunts and inverted flights.

He has been in the air this offseason as much as he has been in the weight room or on the practice field. He has a private pilot's license, and he's working toward more advanced licenses.

He has taken friends, family and teammates for rides over the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, and he's trying to convince more and more teammates to go up in the air with him.

"Flying is the most freeing thing I've ever done," Graham said. "It's incredible because you're up there, and you're by yourself. And you're in control, and there's no boundaries -- for the most part, except for storms and the ground. And if you look out for those, you can go anywhere you want."

Take your pick among the obvious transitions to Graham's football potential, to which the sky also seems to be the limit.

In just his second year with the Saints and his third year as a full-time football player, he briefly broke the NFL record for tight ends with 1,310 receiving yards last season, a mark that was broken minutes later by the New England Patriots' Rob Gronkowski.

Graham caught 99 passes and 11 touchdowns while emerging as quarterback Drew Brees' go-to target and the first Pro Bowl skill-position player in the Brees-Sean Payton era.

At 6 feet 7 inches and 265 pounds, Graham has a rare combination of size and athleticism that has made him into a new breed of weapon for the new pass-happy league.

It's amazing to consider that he's still just tapping into his potential, but that's exactly how he feels heading into his third season. It wasn't long ago, he recalled, that he still was learning the difference between 4-3 and 3-4 defenses.

"I see there's a lot of room for improvement whenever I watch film. There's a lot of stuff I left out there that I'm still agitated about," said Graham, who was then asked to describe what he can improve on.

"The little things, the things people don't notice," Graham said. "I see an extra 30 receptions out there that I left. I see chances where I could have done a little bit more on some blocks, sprung a couple of running backs free for a couple more yards, just things like that. You know, I'm a young player, and I'm young to the game, so every day is a learning experience for me."

So far, Graham seems to be picking up where he left off on the practice field. He has been the unofficial leader in receptions during the handful of summer practice sessions open to the media.

He's an obvious safety net for current quarterback Chase Daniel, just as he has been for Brees. On Tuesday, Daniel floated one short pass high into the air like an alley oop, and Graham made an athletic leap to get his fingertips on it and tip it to himself.

Graham knows that opposing defenses will pay a lot more attention to him now that he's not a secret weapon anymore, but that's something he saw midway through his historic 2011 season. And it helps that the Saints' offense is so loaded with weapons that defenses have to pick their poison.

"At the end of last year I think teams played a little bit more detailed to me," Graham said. "I could tell that they were just paying attention to me more and playing different looks, and I was still able to find some holes. And with this offense that we have, it's hard to really stop one person because if you're focusing on one person, (Marques) Colston is going to go out there and light it up. Or (Darren) Sproles. Or Devery (Henderson).

"We are so dynamic, and we have so many weapons, and that biggest weapon being Drew Brees, so it's hard to really defend that."

Graham has also gotten more attention off the field this year, as expected, along with his newfound celebrity. But he has embraced that too.

He got to tell his life story to Oprah Winfrey. He got to mentor a troubled teenager as part of USA Network project. He hosted a youth football camp in New Orleans.

"A chance to maybe touch a little kid and to really inspire him to maybe become something or get through something is why I do it," Graham said. "To have a camp here and then to give the proceeds to Boys Town Louisiana and help those kids out that really need it means a lot to me.

"These are great opportunities for me."

And he's enjoying them all to the fullest.


(nola.com)

METAIRIE, La. – If you thought New Orleans tight end Jimmy Graham soared last season, wait until you hear this.

Graham has earned his pilot’s license and he’s instrument rated. He also is working on his aerobatic certification. Yep, Graham is flying planes -- and sometimes flying them upside down.

“Flipping planes is pretty neat,’’ Graham said.

Graham said he flew every day last week and gave some friends and teammates an over-head view of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and the city of New Orleans. Flying has becomes Graham’s passion.

“I remember the first time I went up, it was in a little aerobatic plane and we were inverted for quite a while,’’ Graham said. “I’ve been addicted ever since. It’s very challenging. It’s something you always have to pay attention to.’’

That attention to detail could translate into football success. Although Graham had one of the best seasons ever by a tight end (99 catches for 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns) in his first full season as a starter, Graham wasn’t completely happy with his season.

“I see a lot of room for improvement,’’ Graham said. “Whenever I watch film, there’s a lot of stuff I left out there that I’m still agitated about and I’ve got to get better at those things."

What can Graham possibly improve after putting up such huge numbers?

“Just all the little things, the things I guess people don’t notice,’’ Graham said. “I see an extra 30 receptions that I left out there. I see things that I could have done better in blocks and spring running backs free for a couple more yards. I’m a young player, plus I’m young to the game. Every day’s a learning experience for me.’’

This is the first year Graham’s had a full offseason program. As a rookie, he obviously couldn’t join the team until after the draft. Last year, the lockout prevented the offseason. In addition to improving physically, Graham said he’s watched a lot of film this offseason.

“It’s helped me a lot,’’ Graham said. “The chance to watch all the plays from last year – all the drops, all the missed opportunities and that’s what I’ve focused on film-wise. Just getting better, watching defenses and trying to recognize things faster.’’


(espn.com)

New Orleans Saints TE Jimmy Graham
Media Availability Transcript
Tuesday, June 05, 2012

You put up huge numbers last year, what areas can you improve on?
“The little things, the things people don’t notice. I see an extra thirty receptions out there that I left (on the table). I see chances where I could have done a little bit more on some blocks, sprung a couple of running backs free for a couple more yards, just things like that. I’m a young player, and I’m young to the game, so every day is a learning experience for me.”

How much does it help having a full off-season?
“It has helped me a lot. I guess more or less where it’s helping me is the chance to watch film, the chance to watch all the plays from last year, all the catches, all the drops and all the missed opportunities. Really where I’ve focused is on the film-watching aspect in getting better at what I know and working on defenses and recognizing that a little bit faster.”

Knowing there is at least a year’s worth of film that other teams have on you now, do you feel like they’re going to try to defend you differently considering how productive you were?
“Maybe. It’s hard to defend any one person on our team because we are so dynamic and we have so many weapons, our biggest weapon being Drew Brees. It’s hard to really defend that.”

Everybody called you a sleeper last year, but this year the expectations are high and there will be more attention on you from the media, fans, etc. Have you asked anyone if it is going to be a different experience?
“I would say at the end of last year that teams played a little bit more detailed to me. I could tell that they were just paying attention to me more and playing different looks and I was still able to find some holes. Once again with this offense that we have, it’s hard to really stop one person because if you’re focusing on one person, (Marques) Colston is going to go out there or light it up…or (Darren) Sproles…or Devery (Henderson). We have so many weapons.”

David Thomas said he went to six different doctors, trying to make sure that he was alright to come back from a couple of concussions. What do you gain out of him deciding that he was still good to go and is now back in the locker room?
“His leadership. He is like an older brother to me. He’s been there since I didn’t even know what a 3-4 (defense) was. He’s helped me out tremendously, especially in the running game. That’s where he’s really taught me so much and to have him back means everything.”

Are you still confident that Drew (Brees) will be here by training camp?
“I’m pretty confident, at least I hope so. He’s our leader and we want him here. I can’t wait for him to get here.”

Does there come a point where you start getting worried about it?
“He’s the quarterback; you want him here. You want him on the field leading us. More than our quarterback he is our leader. We are working hard without him and are getting better without him, and right now preparing for him to get here.”

Do you talk to him daily or weekly?
“I talk to him a lot about everything but football. I talk to him about fishing, golf and flying. I know he has a lot on his mind and he’s going through a lot right now. I just tell him that we all love him here and we are all anticipating him coming back. I let him know that we are working just as hard while he’s not here, because we know that once he gets here it’s going to come quick.”

How was your off-season?
“It’s been pretty busy, with all the pilot stuff and with (television) shows. It’s been crazy. I still remain focused and wanting to get better because that’s why I live; to play football and get better every off-season.”

Which television shows were you a part of?
I was on Oprah, so that was pretty cool to meet her. She’s really nice and very inspiring, so to have that opportunity to meet with her and share my story was pretty incredible.”

Are these events things that you would say “I felt obligated to do this” or “These are good opportunities”?
“These are great opportunities for me. A chance to maybe touch a little kid and to inspire him to maybe become something or get through something is why I do it. To have a camp here and then to give the proceeds to Boys Town Louisiana and help those kids out that really need it means a lot to me.”

How many pilot hours do you have right now?
Too many, actually, I flew every day last week. It’s cool to be able to fly over the (Mercedes-Benz) Dome and being able to take friends, family, and teammates up and show them the city from a different aspect. That is pretty cool.”

Do your teammates trust you in the air? What teammate has given you the most trust?
“David (Thomas) has the most trust in me. (Jonathan) Vilma, if the Miami Heat win (tonight), he’s going to go with me (to a future playoff game). So the Heat better win tonight.”

Did you get your foundation up and running?
“Not yet, but I am steadily working on that. What I really want to do right now is focus on helping things in the community right now. If I have an event like I did with the football camp, the goal is to give the proceeds to someone in New Orleans. I want it to be very legitimate, I want it to be productive and it takes a long time to come up with all those things.”


(sportsnola.com)

John Clayton has his list of the NFL’s top 10 tight ends and the NFC South has some pretty strong representation.

New Orleans’ Jimmy Graham is No. 2 and Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez is No. 7.

Gonzalez is getting near the end of his career, but still put up decent numbers last season with 80 catches for 875 yards and seven touchdowns. The Falcons have yet to find an heir apparent, so I think you can expect similar numbers from Gonzalez in 2012. Clayton’s list is based on the present, but I think you could make a case from the past that Gonzalez is the best tight end ever. He holds virtually every career receiving record for tight ends.

Graham’s got a long way to go to catch Gonzalez. But Graham at least has the potential to become one of the best tight ends in NFL history.

The former college basketball player has played only two seasons in the NFL. But Graham had one of the most productive seasons in NFL history last year, when he had 99 catches for 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns. That came in Graham’s first full season as a starter, so he should continue to improve.


(espn.com)

TE Jimmy Graham on the bounty penalties via Twitter: "This is beyond ridiculous! I want to see the evidence and hear an explanation. Its sad when u have to hear about it on tv. Ridiculous!"

Deciding Miami led all FBS programs in producing quality NFL running backs was a tough call.

Picking Miami as the top school to find future pro receivers and tight ends wasn't nearly as difficult.

Miami's contingent of NFL wide receivers includes Houston Texans star Andre Johnson and Indianapolis Colts standout Reggie Wayne, who have each earned five Pro Bowl appearances while combining for 125 touchdown catches and over 21,000 receiving yards.

Other Miami receivers on NFL rosters last season included Devin Hester (Chicago Bears), Leonard Hankerson (Washington Redskins), Santana Moss (Washington Redskins) and Roscoe Parrish (Buffalo Bills, now with San Diego Chargers). Moss is a former 1,000-yard receiver, while Hester arguably is the greatest kick returner in NFL history.

Miami was an even more obvious pick at tight end. In fact, tight end may have been the easiest pick of any position for this entire project. Miami's tradition of sending tight ends to the NFL has even caught the attention of high school prospects.

"I felt like this is where I'm going to be the best and I'm going to reach my full potential," New Orleans (La.) Edna Karr junior tight end Standish Dobard told CaneSport.com after committing to the Hurricanes this month. "They have a history of really good tight ends here."

Former Miami tight ends now in the NFL include Dedrick Epps (New York Jets), Richard Gordon (Oakland Raiders), Jimmy Graham (New Orleans Saints), Greg Olsen (Carolina Panthers), Jeremy Shockey (Carolina Panthers) and Kellen Winslow (Tampa Bay Buccaneers). Shockey is a four-time Pro Bowl pick and Winslow has earned one Pro Bowl invitation.

But the biggest success story of all is Graham, who actually came to Miami on a basketball scholarship. He switched to football in 2009 and showed enough in that one season to get drafted in the third round.

All he did last season was catch 99 passes for 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns. The only tight end to ever accumulate more receiving yards in a season was New England's Rob Gronkowski, who compiled 1,327 yards last year.

Although no other schools can approach Miami's success at developing NFL tight ends, a few other programs also deserve mention. Former Iowa tight ends Dallas Clark and Tony Moeaki have enjoyed solid NFL careers. Arizona State produced NFL veterans Todd Heap and Zach Miller. Future Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez joins Cameron Morrah and Craig Stevens as former California tight ends in the NFL. Wisconsin has sent Travis Beckum, Owen Daniels, Garrett Graham and Lance Kendricks to the NFL in recent seasons.

LSU was worth considering at the wide receiver spot. Dwayne Bowe has developed into a star for the Kansas City Chiefs. Early Doucet (Arizona Cardinals), Brandon LaFell (Carolina Panthers) and Devery Henderson (New Orleans Saints) each collected over 500 receiving yards last season.
But nobody compared to Miami at either position.

Even though Miami has enjoyed similar success at the wide receiver and tight end spots, the Hurricanes have relied on different strategies at each of those positions.

Most of the NFL receivers to come from Miami were South Florida products. Johnson and Parrish both played at Miami Senior High. Moss went to Miami Carol City. Hankerson graduated from Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas and Hester came from Riviera Beach (Fla.) Suncoast. A notable exception is Wayne, who went to Marrero (La.) John Ehret.

But most of its star tight ends didn't play for Florida high schools.

Olsen comes from New Jersey. Miami landed Shockey from Oklahoma. Winslow made the coast-to-coast move from San Diego to Miami. Graham's from North Carolina. Dobard looks to continue that tradition when he arrives at Miami in 2013.

Both strategies have worked quite well for Miami.

The only legitimate criticism that could be made about Miami's ability to send receivers and tight ends to the NFL is that many of its top guys at this position are at or past their primes.

Hankerson, a third-round pick last year, is the only Miami receiver to get drafted since 2007. Wayne ended his Miami career in 2000. Johnson's last two years at Miami were the 2001 national championship season and the 2002 campaign that ended with a Fiesta Bowl overtime loss to Ohio State.

And even though Graham has emerged as an immediate star in the NFL after a brief college career, most of Miami's other productive NFL tight ends left college long ago. Shockey's last season at Miami was 2001. Winslow finished his college career in 2004 and Olsen left Miami after the 2006 season.

Olsen, who caught 38 passes in 2006, was the last Miami tight end to catch more than 22 passes in a season. Miami's main pass-catching tight end last season was Clive Walford, who caught 18 passes for 172 yards as a redshirt freshman after playing just one year of high school football at Belle Glade (Fla.) Glades Central.

Tommy Streeter should assure that Miami has a wide receiver drafted for a second straight season. After catching 46 passes for 811 yards and eight touchdowns last year, Streeter has been projected as a mid- to late-round pick in this year's draft.

Miami might not have a tight end drafted anytime soon, mainly because of its youth at that position. Walford still has plenty of time left in his college career. Miami didn't sign a tight end in its 2012 class, but the Hurricanes rectified that issue by getting the early 2013 commitment from Dobard.
"I hope to be one of the best tight ends ever to come through Miami," Dobard told CaneSport.com.

That would be quite an accomplishment indeed.

WIDE RECEIVER U. 2012

Our choice: Miami.
Who they've sent: Leonard Hankerson (Washington Redskins), Devin Hester (Chicago Bears), Andre Johnson (Houston Texans), Santana Moss (Washington Redskins), Roscoe Parrish (San Diego Chargers), Reggie Wayne (Indianapolis Colts).
Who's next: Tommy Streeter is a projected mid- to late-round selection in this year's draft.
Why we picked them: Johnson and Wayne are two of the most productive receivers of the last decade. Each has five Pro Bowl appearances. They have combined for 125 touchdown catches and over 21,000 receiving yards. Moss also is a former Pro Bowl selection. Hester remains an unpolished receiver, but he's one of the best kick returners in football history.
Other finalists: Florida (Denver's Andre Caldwell, Philadelphia's Riley Cooper, Washington's Jabar Gaffney, Minnesota's Percy Harvin, Oakland's Louis Murphy, Buffalo's David Nelson), LSU (Kansas City's Dwayne Bowe, New York Giants' Michael Clayton, Arizona's Early Doucet, New Orleans' Devery Henderson, Houston's Trindon Holliday, Carolina's Brandon LaFell, Detroit's Terrence Toliver), Michigan (New Orleans' Adrian Arrington, Philadelphia's Jason Avant, Kansas City's Steve Breaston, San Francisco's Mario Manningham), Ohio State (San Francisco's Ted Ginn, New England's Anthony Gonzalez, Miami's Brian Hartline, New York Jets' Santonio Holmes, Minnesota's Michael Jenkins)
Candidate you might not have considered: Tennessee, Texas Tech.

TIGHT END U. 2012

Our choice: Miami.
Who they've sent: Richard Gordon (Oakland Raiders), Jimmy Graham (New Orleans Saints), Greg Olsen (Carolina Panthers), Jeremy Shockey (free agent), Kellen Winslow Jr. (Tampa Bay Buccaneers).
Who's next: Nobody's on the horizon. Miami's top pass catching tight end last year was Clive Walford, a redshirt freshman in 2011.
Why we picked them: Miami would have been the clear pick even if we'd done this a year ago, before Graham delivered a breakthrough season in which he caught 99 passes. Graham, Shockey and Winslow have all earned Pro Bowl invitations at some point in their careers.
Other finalists: Arizona State (Arizona's Todd Heap, Seattle's Zach Miller), California (Atlanta's Tony Gonzalez, Seattle's Cameron Morrah, Tennessee's Craig Stevens), Iowa (Buffalo's Scott Chandler, free agent Dallas Clark, Kansas City's Tony Moeaki, Oakland's Brandon Myers, Minnesota's Allen Reisner), Notre Dame (Seattle's John Carlson, Miami's Anthony Fasano, Minnesota's Kyle Rudolph), Texas (Green Bay's Jermichael Finley, Cincinnati's Bo Scaife, New Orleans' David Thomas), Wisconsin (New York Giants' Travis Beckum, Houston's Owen Daniels, Houston's Garrett Graham, St. Louis' Lance Kendricks)
Candidate you might not have considered: Colorado State is the alma mater of Denver's Joel Dreessen and San Diego's Kory Sperry. Dreessen caught six touchdown passes for the Houston Texans last season before signing with the Broncos as a free agent.


(yahoosports.com)

The Saints opened their offseason program with two weeks of lifting and running and catching passes from quarterbacks.  But tight end Jimmy Graham will be catching no passes from quarterback Drew Brees until Brees signs a contract.

And Jimmy Graham wants that to happen, now.

“I can remember last year, during the lockout, other teams, they didn’t get together,” Graham told WWL radio in New Orleans, via SportsRadioInterviews.com.  “Drew orchestrated [workouts] and paid for a lot of the younger guys and even got me a place to stay and said, ‘Jimmy, I want you here.’  He paid that out of his own pocket for all of us to be here training together and we saw what that translated into and what that meant as far as us jelling.  I’m not sure what’s going on or all the details but I just want him back as soon as possible.”

The details are, generally speaking (which means they’re not really details), that Brees wants more than what the team has offered, and that no one has blinked, yet.  Also, each side likely thinks that the other side has more leverage in light of recent events, which has given rise to a high-stakes game of chicken that could eventually make it even harder for the Saints to be ready to put together the kind of regular season that prevents them from having to leave the Superdome in the playoffs.


(profootballtalk.com)

The Dolphins will check out UM draft prospects on Wednesday and Thursday, which reminds us that they have selected only two Hurricanes in the past 20 drafts (Yatil Green in 1997 and Vernon Carey in 2004). “It’s mind-boggling,” Ed Reed said at UM’s Hall of Fame inductions Thursday. “We’re right here!” Bryant McKinnie said. “You would think they would know us better than anybody.”

If the Dolphins sign McIntosh, he would be the only Hurricanes player on the roster - for now - because Carey is not expected to return.
The Dolphins insist they have no objection to drafting UM players, and they are believed to like a few departing Canes, including receiver Tommy Streeter.

Keep in mind this is a franchise that took John Jerry at 73 over Jimmy Graham (who went 95th) in 2010 when Bill Parcells mistakenly thought he could draft Graham in the fourth round; Jamar Fletcher (26) over Reggie Wayne (30) in 2001; selected Jason Allen 16th and traded the 51st pick for Daunte Culpepper in 2006 (instead of signing Drew Brees), thus eliminating any chance of drafting Devin Hester (57) or Eric Winston (66); and took Anthony Alabi over Chris Myers in 2005, among other moves. Choosing solid pro Daryl Gardener at 20 instead of Ray Lewis (26) in 1996 would have been regrettable if Jimmy Johnson hadn’t found a gem in Zach Thomas at No. 154 that year.

McKinnie said he, Reed and Jeremy Shockey used to talk about finishing their careers with the Dolphins, but “the Dolphins wouldn’t do that. In college, we all said we would take pay cuts to come to the Dolphins.”

McKinnie said he doubts that would happen now. "I don't know what direction this team is going in," McKinnie said.

Miami didn’t try to sign McKinnie or Shockey when they were free agents last year, opting for Marc Colombo and Jeron Mastrud. Wayne would have considered the Dolphins last month, “but it didn’t seem like they wanted me.”


(miamiherald.com)

Former Hurricane stars WR Reggie Wayne, LB Ray Lewis, LB D.J. Williams, LB Jonathan Vilma and TE Jimmy Graham watched the team pracitce on Tuesday. While Williams, Vilma, and Graham are regulars at practice, Wayne, and, especially, Lewis, are rare visitors to the Greentree practice fields.



(cbssports.com)

NEW ORLEANS — Jimmy Graham continues to find ways to make himself beloved in the New Orleans area.

The latest way is the youth football camp his PR team announced Thursday.

The 2012 Jimmy Graham Football ProCamp will be held May 5-6 at Tulane.

He’s scheduled to be on-site the entire camp, the release said.

The camp is open for boys and girls between the ages of 7-14 and will involve “various instructional stations specializing in fundamental skills and the team concept of football.”

Graham burst onto the scene this past season when he nearly set an NFL record for receiving  yards by a tight end, passed only by New England’s Rob Gronkowski on the final day of the regular season.

He led the Saints in both receptions and receiving yards and his 11 touchdowns receptions also was a team-best.


(wwltv.vom)

Andre Johnson, WR, Texans: You can argue that Johnson is still the best wide receiver in the NFL, but his proneness to injuries over the last two years has put a dent into his overall draft value. I still see him as an elite fantasy wideout, however. Consider him a risk-reward selection.

Jimmy Graham, TE, Saints: Graham would have finished fifth in fantasy points among wideouts last season, posting statistical career bests across the board. In an offense that features a pass-laden system and an elite quarterback like Brees, Graham is a good bet to succeed again.


(nfl.com)

JIMMY GRAHAM is working with 14-year-old Ashton Randall in the USA Network program "Characters Unite,'' which paired four NFL players who overcame social adversity with youth facing similar challenges. He was teamed with Ashton, who lost both his parents, through Boys Town Louisiana's New Orleans Center.



(nola.com)

Let’s assume New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis is able to work out a deal to re-sign quarterback Drew Brees. It will be complicated and expensive, but it’s also pretty much guaranteed to happen.

The Saints want it to happen, Brees wants it to happen and every Louisiana resident from Bogalusa to Lake Charles wants it to happen. Then, let’s assume that Loomis also is able to find a way to re-sign guard Carl Nicks and receiver Marques Colston. Those assumptions aren’t as solid as Brees re-signing because there are only so many ways to cut the pie that is the salary cap.

But, let’s just hypothetically say, Loomis, who has a pretty good track record, gets all three deals done. Aside from re-signing a few lower-level free agents, maybe bringing in a free agent or two and conducting a draft without a first-round pick, Loomis’ work would seem to be pretty much done. But that may not be the case.

The Saints have another potential contract situation percolating. As best I know, there haven’t been any threats or holdouts, but the Saints almost have to do something about the contract of tight end Jimmy Graham.

He remains under contract through 2013. Perhaps more than any other player in the NFL, Graham has outperformed his contract and that generally leads to a new deal.

In 2011, only his second year in the NFL, Graham had one of the best seasons ever by a tight end. He caught 99 passes for 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’s 25 and he’s only going to get better.

When you look at Graham’s production and potential, it’s easy to make a case he’s the NFL’s most underpaid tight end. Heck, he might be the most underpaid player in the NFL, period.

Graham’s still playing on his rookie contract, which was standard for the third-round pick he was in 2010. But he’s scheduled to make only $540,000 in 2012 and $575,000 in 2013.

Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez signed a one-year extension at the end of the 2011 season that will pay him just about $7 million. Gonzalez might be the best tight ever. But Gonzalez also is on the downside of his career and I don’t think there’s any doubt Graham’s better at this point.

In 2011, the average tight end salary was $1.27 million and Graham’s far better than average. In terms of average per year, Graham ranked No. 33 in the NFL, according to contracts that were in effect for 2011. For context, Tampa Bay backup Luke Stocker ranked two spots ahead of Graham.

I think you can make a pretty strong case that Graham needs to jump up at least 30 spots to be paid what he’s worth. Again, I don’t think Graham’s threatening a holdout and he doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who would resort to that kind of tactic.

But Graham is obviously a core player for the Saints and he’s a guy they want to keep happy. Yeah, they could play hardball and make Graham play out his rookie contract. But that’s bound to create at least some resentment.

The guy has become one of the league’s two or three best tight ends. It doesn’t have to happen immediately. But, at some point, the Saints need to pay Graham like one of the league’s best tight ends.


(espn.com)

Experience isn’t everything—at least it wasn't during last night’s Madden Bowl XVIII. Defending champs Maurice Jones-Drew, Patrick Willis and Arian Foster lost to NFL rookies Robert Griffin III, LaMichael James and Justin Blackmon. But the Cinderella story ended quickly, as Tim Tebow, Drew Brees and Jimmy Graham took out the rookies to claim the Madden Bowl Title.

OK, it wasn’t the Super Bowl, but the star power burned just as bright, as NFL icons like Michael Irvin and Jerry Rice made their way to the Bud Light Hotel in downtown Indianapolis. The championship game ended in Super Bowl fashion with Tebow, Brees and Graham taking the win right under the fingers—or the controllers—of the rookies. The champs won Tebow-style with a fourth quarter comeback. It’s unclear whether they gathered for a “Tebowing” team photo, but simply imagining it is awesome enough.

No doubt Jones-Drew and his team of former champions went home unsatisfied. The three-time All-Pro running back previously talked up his Madden game saying, “I’m still the Madden champ. Nobody’s beaten me one-on-one yet.” Right. His one-on-one streak might still be alive, but there’s no question who went home happy last night.


(gamer.stack.com)

Saints tight end Jimmy Graham is in Indianapolis this week talking less about football than about his childhood, when he suffered from abuse and spent time in the foster system. Graham, whose life story will be featured as part of a documentary on the USA Network on February 10, talked this afternoon about the ways he has moved on from that.

“I’ve forgiven the people who need to be forgiven for the things that happened to me as a child,” Graham said. “I would never change those things. The things I went through as a child have molded me into the man I am today. I think I’m blessed to have gone through those things.”

Graham talked about how his life turned around when he was welcomed into the home of Becky Vinson, now his adoptive mother, who encouraged him to focus on both academics and athletics. He ended up earning a basketball scholarship to Miami and then switching to football and getting drafted by the Saints.

“I always thought I was just a dumb kid,” Graham said. “And finally someone stepped into my life and told me all the things I could do, and how smart I was, and all of a sudden I’m going to college.”

Graham said he’s a better man today because of what he went through as a child.

“That’s a part of me and it’s always going to be a part of me,” Graham said. “I was blessed to have gone through those things.”


(profootballtalk.com)

TE Jimmy Graham is the first Saints skill position player to score a TD in the Pro Bowl since WR Joe Horn hauled in a 12-yard TD pass from Brad Johnson on Feb. 2, 2003. Graham hauled in a second-quarter TD pass from teammate Drew Brees.



(cbssports.com)

TONY DUNGY, TONY GONZALEZ, JIMMY GRAHAM AND HINES WARD SHARE PERSONAL STORIES OF FACING HATE AND DISCRIMINATION IN THE USA NETWORK SPECIAL "CHARACTERS UNITE" DOCUMENTARY, "NFL CHARACTERS UNITE"

One-Hour Film From The Hochberg Ebersol Company Will Follow NFL Stars as They Help Young People Tackle Racism, Bullying and Other Forms of Discrimination

Premieres in February for USA's Characters Unite Month

NEW YORK - January 26, 2012 - USA Network will present the world television premiere of NFL CHARACTERS UNITE in February 2012. Part of USA's award-winning public service campaign to combat prejudice and discrimination, the film features Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez, New Orleans Saints star tight end Jimmy Graham, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and Super Bowl XL MVP Hines Ward, and NBC's Football Night in America analyst and Super Bowl-winning Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy. All four, who have experienced enormous success on the field, have also overcome extreme hate and bigotry in their lives.

In the documentary, the NFL stars share their own personal journeys - from the racism Coach Dungy confronted and the bullying Gonzalez faced, to the foster care abuse Graham endured and the bigotry Ward surmounted - and each helps to transform the life of a teen currently dealing with a similar situation. The players impart strength and advice to assist the teens in getting past the hate, violence and devastating cycle of low expectations, and achieving their full potential. Through candid interviews and unique one-on-one activities, these on- and off-the-field heroes help bring diverse people together, change attitudes and instill courage and compassion.

"The documentary will give viewers a unique perspective on the challenges some of their favorite football heroes have faced, and demonstrate to audiences that they, too, can help put an end to the hate and bigotry that remains too prevalent in our country," said Toby Graff, USA's senior vice president, public affairs. "We are proud to have teamed up with the NFL to be able to share this powerful documentary as part of Characters Unite Month."

"As a nation, we've experienced great hardship in recent years, and it's heartwarming to see such empathetic emotion and acts of selflessness from superstar athletes," said Charlie Ebersol, executive producer and co-founder, The Hochberg Ebersol Company. "This film is a powerful and eye-opening journey into the most guarded corners of four football heroes' lives as they are brought back to their most difficult childhood memories by four incredible boys and girls who are currently living through those same challenges."

"It's a beautiful thing when a few brave voices can be delivered to millions of brilliant people ready to change the world," added Justin Hochberg, executive producer and co-founder, The Hochberg Ebersol Company. "These four NFL stars in particular have helped a group of at-risk teens in a way that will last forever - USA and Characters Unite are the perfect vehicles to bring this incredibly inspiring project to the world."

"We are pleased to work with USA on their inspirational Characters Unite Month," said Tracy Perlman, NFL vice president of entertainment marketing and promotions. "We are proud that Coach Tony Dungy, Tony Gonzalez, Jimmy Graham, and Hines Ward are standing up to fight discrimination and prejudice."

The documentary, created by The Hochberg Ebersol Company and executive produced by company co-founders Charlie Ebersol and Justin W. Hochberg, was directed by Greg Frith (ESPN Classic SportsCentury, ESPN 25, NFL Films' America's Game, NFL Films Presents, Hey, Rookie Welcome to the NFL.) It will premiere in February as part of Characters Unite Month, a time the network will shine an even brighter spotlight on the importance of promoting greater respect and acceptance through on-air programming, digital content and community events. For more information on the documentary as well as CHARACTERS UNITE, visit www.charactersunite.com or www.usanetwork.com.

The Hochberg Ebersol Company (THE Company) was founded by entertainment industry veteran Justin Hochberg and television/film producer Charlie Ebersol. THE Company creates, packages and produces groundbreaking programming in the unscripted, multi-camera comedy, docu-series, and competition formats, for a range of leading broadcast and cable networks. In addition to developing, producing and distributing dynamic television programming, THE Company operates a full-service branded entertainment agency alongside the traditional production company. Its clients have included "Shaq Vs.," Dick Clark Productions and "Hell's Kitchen" for Fox, as well as over a hundred advertising companies. THE Company also operates its own in-house post facilities, which includes CGI capabilities. THE Company is represented by MIchael Kagan at ICM and Bill Abrams of Abrams Garfinkel Margolis Bergson, LLP.

USA Network is the #1 network in all of basic cable and is seen in over 102 million U.S. homes. A division of NBCUniversal, USA is the cable television leader in original series and is home to the biggest hits in blockbuster films, acquired television and entertainment events. Viewers come to USA to find television's best in critically-acclaimed and award-winning original programming, such as BURN NOTICE, ROYAL PAINS, WHITE COLLAR, COVERT AFFAIRS, FAIRLY LEGAL, PSYCH, IN PLAIN SIGHT, SUITS, NECESSARY ROUGHNESS and WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW, as well as the highest-rated acquired originals, including HOUSE, NCIS, LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT and CSI. The award-winning USA website is located at www.usanetwork.com, which is home to the popular new casual gaming site, www.characterarcade.com. Characters Welcome.

USA Network is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.


(thefutoncritic.com)

Best Performance by a Second-Year Player: Weatherspoon was a candidate for this, but the nod goes to New Orleans tight end Jimmy Graham. He had one of the best seasons ever by a tight end. I know the Saints have a lot of pressing contract issues and Graham is under contract for three more seasons. But at some point this offseason, they should give Graham an extension and a huge pay raise. Graham’s only making minimum wage. If ever a player has outperformed his contract, it’s Graham.


(espn.com)

Frank Gore, Vince Wilfork, Ray Lewis, Jimmy Graham and Ed Reed all made the 2012 Pro Bowl, this being Graham’s first Pro Bowl selection of his career. This will be Gore’s 4th Pro Bowl (2nd consecutive), Wilfork’s 5th Pro Bowl (4th consecutive), Ray Lewis’ 14 Pro Bowl (7th consecutive) and Ed Reed’s 9th Pro Bowl (7th consecutive).

Chris Myers and Andre Johnson have been named alternates. Stay tuned for a couple of more players to be named alternates soon.

By the way: The Florida State Seminoles have ONE Pro Bowler and the Florida Gators also have only ONE Pro Bowler.

Since the 1959 Pro Bowl a proCane has been on a Pro Bowl roster 51 out of 52 seasons. Since the 1984 Pro Bowl, a proCane has been named to the Pro Bowl for 28 straight years. Check out the full history of every single proCane in a Pro Bowl below.

NEW ORLEANS -- In the moments after Drew Brees broke Dan Marino’s record for passing yards in a season Monday night, a bunch of other New Orleans Saints were brought into the media room to talk about their quarterback.

Perhaps the most entertaining of the bunch was tight end Jimmy Graham. He was asked what he’d be doing if Brees wasn’t his quarterback.

“I’d be overseas playing basketball,’’ said Graham, who played basketball at the University of Miami.

Graham then had another very interesting revelation.

“I told Drew that whenever he decides to retire, I’m going to retire,’’ Graham said. “I’ll never play with another quarterback. I’m really serious about that.’’

Interesting because Graham is only in his second NFL season. Brees hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down, but he’ll turn 33 in January and can’t go on forever. Graham sounded very serious when he made the statement.

So keep an eye on this as the end of Brees’ career draws closer. Graham just might be serious about walking away from the game while he’s still young.



(espn.com)

Amazingly, TE Jimmy Graham is the first skill position player to make the Pro Bowl for the Saints since Drew Brees and Sean Payton arrived in New Orleans in 2006. Graham, who’s only in his second season, was named the starter for the NFC on Tuesday.




(cbssports.com)

Drew Brees isn't the only player on the New Orleans Saints making NFL history this year. His new favorite target, tight end Jimmy Graham, is within striking distance of some all-time receiving records of his own.

With 1,171 receiving yards this year, Graham is on pace for 1,338, which would be the most by a tight end in NFL history, breaking the mark of 1,290 set by Kellen Winslow in 1980. However, Graham also needs to hold off New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who is on pace for 1,304 yards this year.

Graham also has a shot at Tony Gonzalez's NFL record of 102 receptions by a tight end, set in 1994. Graham has 87 catches with two games remaining, putting him on pace for 99.4.

Even though Graham knew he had the opportunity for a breakout year in his second NFL season, he admitted that those numbers and records are mind-blowing.

"Definitely," said Graham, who also has nine touchdown catches this year. "You know, being so young and it happening so quickly, I mean obviously it's been a pretty special year. But the records, I don't even think about 'em. It's honestly, I know we've got a big Monday night game coming up, and I honestly don't even know what my stats are.

"For me, I just move on to the next one, and all I can think about is that fumble (in the first quarter last week at Minnesota)."

That miscue was rare. It was the first lost fumble of Graham's career. But even when he has dropped a pass or run the wrong route in the past, Graham has routinely made up for it with a positive-impact play or two.

Heading into this season, knowing he'd have a chance to be the Saints' full-time starter, Graham said one of his biggest goals was to "make an impact play every game."

When making that list of goals, though, Graham said he never really thought about specific numbers like 100 catches or 1,300 yards.

"One of my biggest goals individually was I remember saying I would love to make it to a Pro Bowl," said Graham, who can already book that ticket to Hawaii by this point. "To me, that kind of summed up what kind of year it must have been, including maybe catches and yards and stuff like that. But for me it really hasn't been a focus. It's just been about being healthy for the next one."

The most remarkable thing about Graham's historical pace is that he is playing for an offense that spreads the ball around to so many different playmakers. In fact, no skill position player has made the Pro Bowl for the Saints since Brees and Coach Sean Payton arrived in 2006 - a fact that is certain to change when Graham gets there this year.

Of course everything Graham has accomplished this year is even more amazing considering he's still relatively new to the game. He played just one year of college football after playing four years of basketball at Miami. Then he caught 31 balls for 356 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie for the Saints last year.

Still, Brees said he's not surprised by the numbers Graham is racking up this year. After all, he witnessed another former basketball player, Antonio Gates, emerge into an instant force at tight end with the San Diego Chargers earlier in the decade.

"I've been around a guy that, in particular, you kind of felt like, 'Hey man, if everything works out the way it's supposed to, this guy can be something special.' I definitely feel that way about Jimmy," Brees said. "I couldn't be happier for a guy for where he's come from and where it all started from him (with a difficult upbringing as a child) and where he's at now and where he still has left to go. You just say, man, it's pretty awesome."


(nola.com)

The sophomore sensation set another record in his second season with New Orleans, becoming the first tight end in franchise history to record nine touchdowns in a season with an impressive second-quarter endzone grab. He is only 120 yards away from breaking the 31-year old single-season NFL record for yards by a tight end, set by the father of another proCane, Kellen Winsow Sr., with the San Diego Chargers in 1980. Graham, who now ranks fifth in the NFL with 1,171 receiving yards on the season, moved into second place in receptions (87) among all pass-catchers with his seven-catch performance.


(hurricanesports.com)

Jimmy Graham caught seven balls for 70 yards and a touchdown as the Saints stomped out the Vikings in Week 15.

If Graham's back was a problem last week, you wouldn't have known it against the Vikings. Graham resumed his role as the least guardable offensive skill player on the field, getting open at will and easily boxing out S Jamarca Sanford on his early one-yard score. Graham was wide open for another would-be touchdown on a Drew Brees end-zone pass, but Brees played nice and let blocking specialist John Gilmore score the TD. Graham should light up the Falcons in Week 16, mostly because that's just what he does.



(rotoworld.com)

Due to back spasms, Jimmy Graham played just 46-of-75 snaps in last Sunday's win over the Titans.

Graham is usually on the field for virtually every snap. Even though his playing time was limited last week, he still led the Saints with nine targets, caught five passes and came within a toenail of a touchdown. We're tentatively expecting a full complement of snaps against the Vikings this week.



(rotoworld.com)

Jimmy Graham fought through back spasms and ended up with five catches for 55 yards in the Week 14 win over the Titans.

Following the game, coach Sean Payton admitted that he didn't even know if Graham would be able to play after the tight end's back tightened up in warmups. So it's a credit to Graham that he was able to play on passing downs and get open most of the day. He actually nearly had a touchdown catch on a fade, but his toe came down about one centimeter out of bounds. Graham also led the team with nine targets. Even at far less than 100 percent, Graham is one of the most dominant pass-catchers in the game.



(rotoworld.com)

New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham said he heard about Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray's comments this week, when Gray challenged his players to deliver hard hits to guys like Graham in the middle of the field. But Graham insisted that he doesn't pay much attention to comments like that.

"It's kind of funny. I guess I haven't been in this long enough. I'm just going on my second year," Graham said. "But it seems like it has been happening a lot lately, a lot of guys have been saying things about me and about what they're going to do to me. But I don't mind. I just brush it off and take it with a grain of salt. I just prepare each week just like it was the last."

Graham, who was a basketball player for four years in college before converting to football, said he thinks people may still consider him "soft." But he said they're wrong if they underestimate his toughness.

"I'm sure he still thinks I'm a basketball player," Graham said of Gray. "But hopefully Sunday I can prove I'm a football player."

When asked if he considers all the extra attention from opponents flattering, Graham said no.

"Not really. I guess I wish it was still the beginning of the year whenever no one had any film on me," Graham said. "Unfortunately that's not the case. I just have to prepare and make sure I'm doing all the things I can do to play as well as I need to play and help this team win."

Gray was a longtime assistant under Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who is known to encourage his own players to deliver "remember me" shots - a term that was coined by former Titans safety Blaine Bishop when both Williams and Gray were coaching in Tennessee. So Williams said he and his defensive players got a laugh out of the comments Gray made this week.

"We talked about it in our defensive room today, and a bunch of our players said, 'Hmmm, I wonder where he heard that stuff before.' So they were all teasing me about that," Williams said.



(nola.com)

Jimmy Graham who so far this season has 75 receptions for 1046 yards and 8 touchdowns need only 28 more receptions and 245 more yards to become number one in the NFL all-time in both categories.

They're trying. You know they are, because no NFL defense worth the pads it wears willingly will subjugate itself to embarrassment. And because no defensive coordinator pores over film, devises schemes and puts his players through a numbing number of repetitions because he thinks the things he's emphasizing won't work.

But still -- to the Saints' delight and in another compliment to their foresight -- there's been no solution for Jimmy Graham.

Week after week, home and away, night or day, the second-year tight end embarrasses one defender after another, renders useless one scheme after another, takes advantage of one defensive coordinator's underestimation after another.

After eight more catches for 89 more yards in a 31-17 victory over Detroit on Sunday night at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Graham's season totals stand at 75 catches for 1,046 yards and eight touchdowns for the Saints (9-3), who have a two-game lead in the NFC South with four games to play, and will win the division barring a stunning collapse.

He's the first 1,000-yard receiving tight end in franchise history, and on a team where wide receivers sometimes have disappeared for weeks while taking turns in the spotlight this season, the shine on Graham never has dulled.

Opponents have tried to cover him with corners, slow him with safeties, bully him with linebackers. All they have to show for it is this: Graham is having one of the greatest receiving seasons in franchise history.

If he doesn't catch another pass this season -- and take the bet if you run across anyone stupid enough to insist he won't -- he already has had a Pro Bowl, All-Pro year that has set the standard of what the expectations of him now will be.

"I'm not really concerned about 1,000 yards," Graham said. "For me it's about the wins.

"Personal accolades, we'll wait until the offseason comes (to think about them)."

That's a good mind-set to have. The rest of us aren't burdened by such boundaries, though, so we can appreciate Graham's play to the fullest today.

The Lions (7-5) actually had reason to be pleased with their work against Graham in the first half, when he had just two catches for 22 yards.
But perhaps partly as a result of the attention given to Graham, receiver Robert Meachem gashed Detroit in the first half. Meachem, who'd had six catches for 108 yards and a touchdown in his previous five games, caught two passes for 105 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown, in the first half.

"He cleared it out for me, and I caught the ball," Meachem said.

When the Lions adjusted to take away Meachem in the final two quarters -- he caught one more pass for 14 yards -- Graham helped pick up the slack. He caught four passes for 46 yards on the Saints' final touchdown drive, a seven-play, 55-yard march that led to the final points, a 6-yard pass from Drew Brees to Darren Sproles.

But then, that almost was to be expected, considering the way he has played this season.

Entering Sunday, Graham had the third-most receptions and sixth-most yards in the league. It's easy to forget that he only has been playing football full time for three years, that his forte was basketball at the University of Miami until he was persuaded to play football for one year.

Now, he's the hottest player going at the position, a blend of size, speed and skill that has made him a matchup nightmare for every Saints opponent.

When it comes to Saints receivers, opposing defenses can't possibly know from where the next blow is coming. It's impossible to prepare for the group as a whole, given the fact that a new threat appears, or reappears, weekly.

But Graham has been a constant. And still, they have no answers.

They're trying.

Graham just makes sure they keep failing.


(nola.com)

The New Orleans Saints announced today that second-year tight end Jimmy Graham has been voted by his teammates as the 2011 recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award.

The Ed Block Courage Award Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of neglected children and ending the cycle of abuse. The purpose is to raise Awareness and Prevention of child abuse. That objective is coupled with the Foundation's commitment to celebrating players of inspiration in the NFL.

Since its inception the Foundation through its charter with the Courage House National Support Network for Kids, and an affiliation with the National Football League and Professional Football Athletics Trainers Society has helped to provide hope to countless children and raised millions of dollars.

Graham, a 6-6, 260 pound native of Goldsboro, N.C., graduated from the University of Miami with degrees in both marketing and management in 2009. He was selected by the Saints in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft after playing just one year of college football. Prior to that, Graham was a four-year letterman for the Hurricanes in basketball. Graham spent portions of his childhood living in a group home before being taken in by a legal guardian, Rebecca Vinson. Despite putting herself through nursing school and overcoming financial struggles of her own, Vinson helped mentor and stress the importance of education to Graham while providing him with a caring home.

"The Ed Block Courage Award is one of the most prestigious awards an NFL player receives because it is voted on by his peers," said Saints' Head Athletic Trainer Scottie B. Patton. "The award is a testament to overcoming adversity, whether it is through setbacks on the field or through challenges they have overcome in their lives. Jimmy has touched the lives of so many people he has come into contact with in his short time here and we all recognize and pay tribute to the amazing contributions he has made to our organization."

Graham currently leads the Saints' in receptions (67), receiving yards (967) and touchdowns (eight). Graham is the second-leading receiver in the NFL, trailing only New England Patriots WR Wes Welker (82) in receptions.

"He is an amazing person," said Saints' QB and co-captain Drew Brees. "He is humble, hard-working and I think we all recognize some of the challenges he faced growing up. He doesn't take things for granted and he inspires all of us."

"When I see Jimmy, I see perseverance," said LB Jonathan Vilma, the Saints' recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award in 2008 and a co-captain. "He is very dedicated, shows up every day and wants to get better. The adversity he has overcome in his life is something that should serve as inspiration to anyone who is facing tough times. He draws on it and it fuels him. He had every excuse to go the other way in his life. Instead he chose education, he chose to be a great person and to do the best at what's he's doing. And, he genuinely wants to help people. He has a great heart and a smile on his face. He knows he can make a positive difference in peoples' lives and he quietly goes about doing that."

"One of the things we pride ourselves on is having the right type of people in our locker room," said co-captain DE Will Smith. "Here's a guy you look up to, even though he's just in his second year. He's passionate about playing and learning this game and what he's doing is remarkable. Yet, you never hear him talking about himself. He puts the team ahead of everything else and he fits right in. He's a guy that likes to joke around at the right times, but he's all business when you boil it all down."

"I am rarely at a loss for words," Graham said. "But this is very special. I think anytime the people that you work with every day think highly enough of you to vote for a prestigious award such as the Ed Block Courage Award that it's very special. There are a lot of players in this locker room, as well as coaches, trainers and the people that are here to support our team on a daily basis that have overcome or are battling with tough breaks in their lives. Do I more deserve this more than they do? I don't know, but I do know that there have been some really amazing people in my life that took an interest in me at a young age and helped get my life headed in the right direction. I feel an obligation to them to be the best I can be and maximize the God-given abilities I have been blessed with."

Graham will be honored, along with recipients of the other 31 NFL teams, at the Ed Block Courage Awards in Baltimore, Maryland 2012.


(sportnola.com)

The Giants couldn’t handle Jimmy Graham on Monday night.

Big and athletic tight ends like the Saints’ Graham and the Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski are dictating to defenses this season, occasionally dunking on them.

Graham was a basketball player at the University of Miami, and to use basketball terminology, Drew Brees could just just throw it inside to the big man. Graham caught five passes for 84 yards, two for touchdowns. He leads the league in both catches (67) and receiving yards (957).

Gronkowski is second with 60 catches. The Falcons’ Tony Gonzalez — “the paragon of the contemporary tight end,” as Mike Tierney described him in The Times on Sunday — is still going strong and is third with 59. (Gonzalez played basketball at Cal.)

The Saints-Giants game got so out of hand that a little channel surfing could be excused, and you might have stumbled upon this clip (at top) on another ESPN channel. Graham has a story to tell. He was set adrift by his parents, abandoned over $98 per month in child support. The accusations at Penn State and Syracuse tell one side of what can happen to vulnerable children. Graham gives the other: what is possible when someone is willing to offer a hand, in this case the woman whom Graham now considers his mother. For more, James Varney of The Times-Picayune chronicled Graham’s upbringing and Miami days last year.


(nytimes.com)

proCane MLB player and World Series Champion Jon Jay poses with proCane New Orleans Saints TE Jimmy Graham before Graham’s game versus the Atlanta Falcons in Atlanta.



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

NEW ORLEANS — Jimmy Graham has emerged as the most dynamic tight end in the NFL this season, which is nothing short of remarkable considering the former college basketball standout played only one year of football in both high school and college before the Saints selected him late in the third round of the 2010 draft.

The 6-6, 260-pounder has been a nightmare matchup for opposing defenses with his rare combination of size, speed, athleticism and desire. But here's the even scarier thought for future foes:

If Graham is just now starting to tap into his potential, what will he look like when he's polished?

"He's going to be the best receiving tight end in the game before it's all said and done," predicted Falcons TE Tony Gonzalez, who currently holds that distinction.

Gonzalez should know a little about the subject matter, being a former college basketball player himself who was able to translate the best aspects of power and grace from the hardwood to the gridiron.

And although Graham won't turn 25 until later this month, he already has joined Gonzalez in an exclusive place in NFL history. They are the only two tight ends ever with four consecutive 100-yard receiving games. Gonzalez accomplished the feat in 2000. Graham matched it from Weeks 3-6 this season.

"I've had small talks with him, and he cares," Gonzalez told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "He's a dynamic player. He's explosive. He's real emotional. He gets into it. He gets it.

"He's going to be good for a long time to come."

Those same thoughts have been echoed by the offensive leaders in New Orleans, guys like head coach Sean Payton and QB Drew Brees, who have shown an enormous amount of trust in Graham despite his lack of experience.

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


(profootballweekly.com)

Jimmy Graham caught seven passes for 82 yards and a touchdown against the Falcons in Week 10.

Graham killed two drives with drops early on, but made up for it by hurdling safety Thomas DeCoud for a 21-yard touchdown. Graham was Drew Brees' favorite receiver, drawing a team-high 12 targets. Fantasy's No. 1 tight end is averaging 6.2 catches and 87.3 yards per game heading into the Week 11 bye.

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


(rotoworld.com)

Jimmy Graham was held to six receptions for 78 yards in Sunday's win over the Buccaneers.

Graham wasn't featured nearly as much in the Saints passing attack, getting the majority of his yardage against Tampa's prevent coverage at the end of the first half. He's the only reliable target in an otherwise volatile receiving group, and a strong candidate to get back on track in Week 10 against Atlanta.

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


(rotoworld.com)

Peter King of Sports Illustrated named his midseason All-Pro NFL team and four proCanes made the squad.

TE Jimmy Graham, Saints
MLB Ray Lewis, Ravens
RT Eric Winston, Texans
PR/KR Devin Hester, Bears

See the rest of the All-Pro team here

Click here to order Devin Hester’s proCane Rookie Card.


(cnnsi.com)

Through seven weeks of the season, there are four NFC South representatives among the six most-targeted tight ends in the NFL. The top two spots are occupied by NFC South players.

New Orleans’ Jimmy Graham has been targeted a league-high 66 times, according to ESPN Stats & Information. He has 45 catches for 674 yards and five touchdowns.

Tampa Bay’s Kellen Winslow is No. 2 with 56 targets. He has 31 catches for 282 yards and a touchdown. Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez is No. 5 with 50 targets. Gonzalez has 35 catches for 380 yards and four touchdowns.

Carolina’s Greg Olsen is No. 6. He’s been targeted 45 times and has 26 catches for 286 yards and three touchdowns. Olsen’s numbers could be higher, but he shares time -- and targets -- with Jeremy Shockey.

Even though he’s not the primary tight end, Shockey still ranks No. 16 with 37 targets. He has 22 catches for 291 yards.

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


(espn.com)

New Orleans Saints TE Jimmy Graham has been targeted 66 times through the first seven games, which is almost twice the number of any other receiver or tight end on the roster. QB Drew Brees has really zeroed in on him in the red zone thanks to Graham's 6-foot-6 height and leaping ability. Graham is starting to draw double teams, especially in the red zone.

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


(kffl.com)

Jimmy Graham did not set the NFL TE record with a fifth straight 100-yard effort, but he still had six catches for 54 yards and two touchdowns as the Saints annihilated the Colts in Week 7.

We don't have the snap count yet, but Graham was on the sidelines more than he is accustomed to due to his ankle injury and the lopsided score. With just 35 scoreless yards on three catches and the Saints holding a 34-7 halftime lead, Graham's owners had to be concerned that his night was over. It wasn't, as he dug out a low throw from Drew Brees on a five-yard TD catch, and then won a one-on-one ball from three yards out on the Saints' next series. Graham is the No. 1 TE in fantasy until further notice.

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


(rotoworld.com)

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton said tight end Jimmy Graham, who leads the team in receiving, missed Thursday's practice with a sore right ankle.

Graham has 39 catches for 620 yards and three touchdowns, and last week, he became just the second tight end to have four consecutive games in the same season with 100 receiving yards or more, matching the feat accomplished by Tony Gonzalez in 2000.

Graham practiced Wednesday, but Payton said the tight end was having ankle soreness afterward and was given Thursday to rest.

Graham is in his second NFL season out of Miami, where he played power forward for the basketball team for four years before playing one season of college football.

The Saints host the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night.

Graham was one of six Saints starters to miss practice Thursday. Defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis (ankle), defensive end Turk McBride (shoulder), linebackers Jonathan Vilma (knee) and Will Herring (hamstring), and offensive tackle Zach Strief (knee) all sat out for a second consecutive day.

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


(nfl.com)

As the NBA's long and reportedly fruitless mediation process enters another day of meetings Wednesday without much optimism, it might soon be time for LeBron James to turn last week's playful football chatter into a reality.

I found one player -- a budding NFL star who seamlessly made the sport-to-sport transition three years ago -- who agrees.

"Listen, if that guy was on the New Orleans Saints, he would break records," said Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, who spent his four undergraduate years as a scholarship basketball player at the University of Miami.

If anyone would know, it might be Graham. He just tied an NFL record of his own Sunday for most consecutive games (four) with 100 or more yards by a tight end. Tony Gonzalez, a future Hall of Famer, is the only other guy to have matched him.

But Graham isn't just an expert on making a successful jump from basketball to football. He's also an expert on all things LeBron.

Just how big of a fan is the second-year NFL pro? Get this: He watches James' high school highlights on his iPad for inspiration before Saints games. When James held The Decision, Graham hosted a small party and "went crazy" when he announced he was headed to South Beach.
Graham then immediately bought Heat season tickets despite the fact that he spends football season in New Orleans.

"During the (NFL) preseason last year, I actually flew back on my days off to go to the Heat games," said Graham, who became a Cavaliers fan because of James and transferred his loyalty to the Heat right along with him. "I also go to every game when it's my offseason."

With the NBA's situation only growing more depressing on Tuesday, Graham and I managed to collaborate over the phone on some advice for James.

So, LeBron, listen up: This whole NBA lockout is getting lame. If NBA commissioner David Stern decides to cancel games through Christmas, it's time for you to make the jump. And here, according to Graham, are five tips toward accomplishing your goal:

No. 1: Forget tight end and play receiver
"No matter what anybody says, I would tell him to play wide receiver and not tight end. He would be a dominant wide receiver. Because he's so athletic at his weight, I wouldn't want him to gain weight to have to play tight end. Plus, you'd have to learn to block, and it would slow down the process. So if he was just doing it for this one season, I would tell him to be a wide receiver. Also, I would love for him to be a wide receiver because if he plays tight end, I'm going to be on the bench, and that's going to be frustrating."

No. 2: Take your talents to the Big Easy
"Don't go to any team but the New Orleans Saints because Sean Payton is a genius and will figure out a way to get him the ball in all kinds of situations -- and Drew Brees will throw him the ball in all kinds of situations. I know on this team, with Sean Payton and Drew Brees, he would definitely be utilized immediately."

No. 3: Get into the playbook
"Definitely got to get in the weight room. Actually, no, because he's already stupid strong. He's such a beast. For him, it would be all about play calling. That's simply what it would come down to. Where to go. When to go there. Just the intricicies of the offensive playbook. You're already athletic enough. I know you can catch. You're going to run by everybody or jump over everybody. The biggest thing would be to get into the playbook. That is a process for anyone because it's so detailed. I wish I could invite him to a practice just to see how crazy it is. Sean will put the headset on him just to listen to the play calls."

No. 4: Do it for the love of the game
"A lot of basketball players have reached out to me and asked what I've thought about it. They're thinking about trying to play football again or trying for the first time. I just tell them if you don't honestly love football -- absolutely love it -- then don't do it. It's not worth it. Everyone sees Sunday. Everyone sees the craziness in the Superdome. But there's also Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Every week is the same. There are no breaks but the bye week. You're going to be in there every day. I tell a lot of those guys if it's about money -- if it's about anything but the love for the game -- don't do it. But Lebron doesn't need the money. It'd be about the passion."

No. 5: Don't overthink it
"Trust his natural abilities. That's going to be important. He's a phenomenal athlete. And he's very, very smart. I've watched almost every game that he's played. I know his court vision -- how he not only looks to get himself open but everyone else open. He's not a selfish player. I honestly think that transition for him wouldn't be that hard. He's one of the best athletes in the world."
So there you have it, LeBron. Follow those five easy steps, and you'll be starring right alongside another player who already proved it's possible to seamlessly jump from hoops to the NFL.

See you on Sunday.

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


(nfl.com)

TAMPA, FLA. - Tight end Jimmy Graham is no longer a secret weapon for the New Orleans Saints. From now on, he expects to see a lot of defenses focus on him like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did in their 26-20 victory over the Saints on Sunday.

Although Graham still caught seven passes for 124 yards and became the first Saints player ever with four straight 100-yard receiving games, he was critical of himself after the game. He said he did "a lot of things wrong" as a receiver and route runner, including one dropped pass.
Graham said the Buccaneers were much more aggressive in their defense against him than teams had been earlier this year, using double coverage and having guys chip him at the line of scrimmage to affect his routes.

"Earlier most people let me just kind of do my thing, but after the first two drives I knew I was gonna have to start cutting harder, making more sharp cuts," Graham said. "In the past, I could be sloppy and make up for it with my quickness. But Sean (Payton) talks to me all the time about how defenses are going to start playing me different. They had a safety over the top, they were jamming me at the line. They had guys jam me who weren't even supposed to guard me. Little things I just have to get better at.

"I'm still new to this game. Right when I start to learn everything, everything changes on me."

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


(nola.com)

Jimmy Graham tied an NFL record today for TEs with his fourth consecutive 100 yard receiving day. Graham is the second TE in the NFL history to do that behind Falcons’ TE Tony Gonzalez. He very well may break NFL record of six 100 yard receiving games in one season held by Gonzalez.

Graham caught seven passes for 124 yards in the Saints' Week 6 loss to the Buccaneers.
Graham also set a new franchise record with four straight 100-yard games. The 24-year-old is simply unstoppable, using his big body to wall off defenders for both short and long catches, and his deep speed to kill defenses down the field. Facing Indianapolis' Cover-2 defense in Week 7, Graham will be the best fantasy tight end play in the league.

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

Saints second year TE Jimmy Graham has done something no NFL TE has done in over 10 years. He has had three consecutive 100-yard games receiving after going for 129 yards last Sunday. Tony Gonzalez had four straight 100-yard receiving games in 2000. Here’s to Graham getting another 100 yards this week.

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

Saints players know by now that with Drew Brees at quarterback, one doesn’t have to play receiver to rack up a lot of receptions.

So far in 2011, Brees has completed more passes to second-year tight end Jimmy Graham (32) and running back Darren Sproles (31) than anyone else.

In their victory over Carolina on Sunday, the Saints reminded future opponents that they are just as likely to throw to running backs when they need a key first down or a touchdown. Of Brees’ two touchdown passes in the game, the first went to fullback Jed Collins and the second went to running back Pierre Thomas, who also happens to rank fifth on the squad in receptions with 14, ahead of Devery Henderson and Marques Colston.

“That’s been the nature of our offense ever since we’ve been here,” Brees said. “You see it every game where there are nine or 10 guys catching balls. Rarely do we have a guy who’s up in the 10-plus range. We have a lot of guys who are six, seven, eight catches, very productive. Every guy contributing on third down and the red zone — that’s what we do. It keeps defenses off balance when they try to game plan for us”
Of Brees’ 12 scoring passes this season, only half have gone to receivers. Three have gone to the 6-foot-6, 260-pound Graham, and one each has gone to Sproles, Thomas and Collins.

Fortunately for the Saints, none of their receivers have the outspoken, “Diva” persona that seems to be common at their position league-wide.
“In this offense, if you’re going to be selfish you’re not going to be here anyway,” said Robert Meachem, who has 22 catches to rank third on the team and first among New Orleans receivers. “Being a play-maker, you always want the ball. Don’t get me wrong. But in this offense you know pretty much, ‘Hey, be patient. It’s going to happen.’”

The Saints haven’t relied too heavily on any one player in the passing game since coach Sean Payton began calling the plays and Brees began executing them back in 2006.

Generally, Brees simply seeks out the most favorable matchups each play. While that has often meant throwing to Colston in past years, the 6-foot-4 receiver has been limited this season by a fractured collar bone that caused him to miss two of New Orleans’ first five games.

With only 12 receptions so far, he is bound to become more involved as the season progresses, but the Saints still won twice without him and are second in the NFL in passing with 336.6 yards per game.

Tampa Bay coach Rahim Morris has mixed feelings about what he sees when he breaks down video of the Saints’ offense. As a football fan, he said, “It’s an unbelievable offense to watch.” As the next opponent on the schedule, it’s a concern.

“I can’t say enough about Drew Brees. What Jimmy Graham’s been able to do this year has been unbelievable. He’s physical, fast, and violent. It will open it up for the receivers down the stretch here,” Morris said. “It’s just an explosive offense that gets the ball around to everybody and uses their talents well.”

Sproles, whose reception total is tied for fifth in the NFL, said one of the reasons he came to the Saints as a free agent was his confidence that Brees would use short passes to get him the ball in space, where he could use his explosive speed.

Sproles also knew defenses would not be able to make him the focus of their pass coverage because of the way Brees has shown he can go down field to the likes of Meachem, Moore, Henderson, Colston, and now Graham.

“You get those big guys out wide, they kind of forget about us” running backs, Sproles said. “The little dump-offs, they’re always there.”

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


(washingtonpost.com)

He has become a fantasy-football hero and his play on the field is making him one of the hottest pass-catchers in the National Football League.  Saints second-year tight end Jimmy Graham is scorching defenders at a rapid rate, and he is showing no signs of slowing down.

“I just try and work hard each day, listen to the coaches and my teammates, and help the team any way I can,” said the humble Jimmy Graham. 

Graham is coming off his third straight 100-yard receiving game in the Saints’ 30-27 win over the Carolina Panthers.

Jimmy Graham has not only become one of the most improved tight ends in the NFL; he is also becoming one of the better players in the league also.  Saints quarterback Drew Brees was asked about how much his Tight End has improved from last season to this season.

“At this point last year, he was talented but raw, so green still,” Brees said.  “Even though it’s been only a year, he’s gained a lot in experience, not only from how we incorporated him into the offense last year, but how he had an offseason under his belt where he was really able to work a lot with David Thomas and the stuff we did on the side.”

Drew says Jimmy lives and breathes the game.

“Obviously once we got into training camp, you see him having this mentality of trying to be great and he loves football. He’s his biggest critic, which I love seeing young guys like that who are going to police themselves and do the right thing,” according to Drew.  “They don’t need a coach telling them something, even though as a young guy you’re going to have a coach telling you what to do.”

Jimmy has shown steady improvement in each of his five performances this season for the Black and Gold offense.  Against the Green Bay Packers, Graham had four receptions for 56 yards and a TD.  In the battle against the Bears, Jimmy had seven receptions for 79 yards.  Then, Jimmy really raised his game the next three weeks, hauling in more than 100 yards receiving per week  in each of the last three contests.

Graham torched the Texans for 100 yards on four grabs, and then he upped his play even more against Jacksonville, rolling for ten receptions for 132 yards and one TD.  In the Saints’ most recent win versus the Panthers, Jimmy hit the century mark again with eight catches for 129 yards.

So, let’s add up Jimmy’s numbers through the first five games of the season.  Graham has thirty-two receptions for a total of 496 yards and three touchdowns.  He’s averaging 15.5 yards per reception.

And if we break Jimmy’s numbers down by game, we find that Graham is averaging 6.4 catches per game for 99.2 yards.  From what I know of Jimmy, he is a very humble guy that is grateful for his opportunity to play in the National Football League.

Jimmy is on par to have more than 100 receptions for over 1,500-yards and 12 TD’s this season at this current pace.  He is contributing on the highest level, and the best part is:  He’s really only just getting started.   

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


(wwl.com)

METAIRIE, La. — When Jimmy Graham was first drafted by the New Orleans Saints, the tight end took down his page on the social media site Facebook. He still has yet to set up a Twitter account.

“I kind of just wanted to focus and not have any distractions,” Graham said. “I try to stay away from all that stuff.”

The second-year pro may be far behind many of his NFL contemporaries in terms of virtual friends and followers. As for production on the field, that’s another matter entirely.

Through the first four weeks of this season, Graham ranks in the top 10 among NFL tight ends in four key categories as he has increasing become quarterback Drew Brees’ go-to guy. He is first in receptions with 24, second in yards receiving with 367, fourth in touchdowns with three and eighth in yards per catch at 15.3.

He has had no fewer than 100 yards receiving in each of his past two games, becoming only the second tight end in Saints history to register triple-digit receiving yardage in consecutive games.

The first was Henry Childs back in 1979, and no Saints tight end has even done it in three straight weeks, as Graham has a chance to do when he returns to his home state, North Carolina, this Sunday as the Saints (3-1) meet the Carolina Panthers (1-3).

“I’m not even close to satisfied,” Graham said after practice on Thursday. “One of my biggest goals this year was to make an impact play every game, so I want to be somebody that Drew can look to in a tough situation and can count on.”

Graham’s growth as a tight end has been remarkable in that, when the Saints drafted him in the third round in 2010, he had played only one season of college football at Miami after spending four years as a power forward for the Hurricanes’ basketball team.

The 6-foot-6, 260-pound Graham is one of several NFL tight ends with a basketball background, following in the footsteps of players like Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez and San Diego’s Antonio Gates. The Saints were banking on Graham following suit when they drafted him.

Fewer expected that, four games into his second pro season, he would have 102 more yards receiving that any other player on the team.

“At this point last year, he was talented but raw, so green still,” Brees said. “Even though it’s been only a year, he’s gained a lot in experience. ... You see him having this mentality of trying to be great and he loves football. He’s his biggest critic. .. I love seeing young guys like that who are going to police themselves and do the right thing.”

It seems that Brees’ only concern is whether too much success is coming too quickly for Graham, and how he’ll respond to it.

“When you look at the success that he’s had so early, it’s easy to assume that it’s always going to be this easy, but it’s not,” Brees said. “The guy works extremely hard at it and we spend a lot of time together and I really think he’s only scratching the surface as to what he can do and how we can assimilate him into this offense. So I’m excited for Jimmy Graham, but I never want to get too far ahead of ourselves here. He can get a lot better.”

Graham is already noticing an uptick in the attention he receives from fans when he walks around his downtown neighborhood or goes out to eat. When word got around that he didn’t have an established nickname yet, fans who saw him started suggesting them.

“Every time I go out to eat someone’s screaming out some crazy name, so it’s been pretty entertaining,” Graham said.

He was a little puzzled when one fan suggested “Avatar.” He was amused when another offered, “The Graham Reaper.”

This weekend, though, he’ll just be “Jimmy” to some loved ones in the stands, including his adoptive mother and his biological mother, with whom he has re-established a relationship after a turbulent childhood that saw him left in a group home for boys when he was 11-years-old.
If Graham never takes his success for granted, his rough childhood will be a main reason why.

When he thinks of what he overcame to graduate from college and arrive on the brink of NFL stardom, he’ll always credit Becky Vinson, the woman who adopted him even though she was struggling financially at the time to pay bills and provide the way she wanted to for her daughter, Karena, who is also expected to be at the game.

“Whenever my guardian adopted me, she said, ‘One day you’re going to be somebody,’” Graham recalled. “So I wouldn’t say that she’s shocked (by his success). Every time I see her she tells me, ‘I knew it.’ But she’s happy for me. And for us, it’s been pretty special.”

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


(washingtonpost.com)

Jimmy Graham led the Saints with 129 yards on eight receptions against the Panthers in Week 5.

Graham becomes the first tight end in franchise history to clear 100 yards in three consecutive games, leading the team with 12 targets. Graham was twice kept out of the end zone by safety Charles Godfrey, but got revenge with a one-handed 30-yard circus catch that he tipped to himself. The first-year starter and Drew Brees' new go-to target leads all NFL tight ends with 496 yards (99.2 per game) heading into Week 6 at Tampa.

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


(rotoworld.com)

Back when Randy Shannon was attempting to talk basketball player Jimmy Graham into trying football, the former University of Miami football coach used a very powerful recruiting pitch.

“He said, 'We are Tight End U,'" Graham said. “He said, 'Look at the guys who’ve been through here -- Greg Olsen, Kellen Winslow and Jeremy Shockey. Look where they are now. They’re in the NFL. You can do the same thing.'"

Shannon’s out at Miami, but he turned out to be a prophet. Graham, now with the New Orleans Saints, is doing a lot of the same things Olsen and Shockey are doing for the Carolina Panthers and Winslow is doing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Throw in Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez, who didn’t go to Miami but has another common bond with Graham, and you can make a pretty strong case that the NFC South has the league’s best collection of pass-catching tight ends.

"None of those guys are guys you want to end up covering," said New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who played at Miami. "I had to do it in college and thought I was getting away from it and I did for a few years. But now I've got to deal with it in this division and I've got to deal with it every day in practice. It’s not a lot of fun."

It’s not mere coincidence that the NFC South, once a wasteland for tight ends, is suddenly filled with some of the best pass-catchers in the league. And it’s no coincidence that most of them came through the Miami pipeline.

When one team has success with something, other teams tend to follow. And when you’re looking for good tight ends, you look for the guys who come from the best factory.

The Saints started this trend back in 2008 when they traded for Shockey. The next offseason, the Falcons traded for Gonzalez and the Bucs traded for Winslow. In 2010, the Saints used a third-round pick on Graham, who played only one year of college football. He showed them so much potential that the Saints released Shockey after last season.

He didn't stay unemployed for long. Before the lockout started, the Panthers scooped up Shockey. They later made a trade with Chicago to get Olsen. There was some very strong logic behind both moves.

Ron Rivera had just taken over as Carolina’s coach and he brought Rob Chudzinski as his offensive coordinator. Yep, you guessed it. Chudzinski once was the tight ends coach at the University of Miami.

"We’re caught up in the same boat to a degree, but we’re young at a couple positions and we have enough playmakers at tight end that you have to account for both of them," Rivera said.

The Panthers, who pretty much ignored offense in the John Fox days, found their franchise quarterback in Cam Newton. And now they're using their tight ends as frequently as the other teams in the division.

Watch an NFC South game these days and you’ll think you're on the practice field in Coral Gables.

"As soon as I made the decision to play football, they started showing me tapes," Graham said. "I watched tapes of Olsen, Winslow and Shockey. I guess that was pretty much like reading a textbook on how to play tight end. Heck, even when I was getting ready for the draft and my combine workout and pro day, I watched a tape of Olsen's pro day over and over because everybody told me that was like the greatest workout ever for a tight end. It’s pretty amazing because I didn't have a lot of football experience, but I feel like those guys cleared the way for me. I learned a lot by watching tape of them and I think the reputation they created for Miami tight ends also helped me a lot."

But the commonality Graham has with Gonzalez might have played a role. Like Graham, Gonzalez played some college basketball. There are people who say Gonzalez could have played in the NBA, but he chose football. That turned out to be the right move because Gonzalez has been the most prolific pass-catching tight end in the history of the NFL.

It also didn't hurt that San Diego's Antonio Gates, another former basketball player, has probably been the closest thing to Gonzalez.

"I think when someone has success like Antonio Gates had and the league sees that, I think all of us pay attention to another area to scout than just the college football field," New Orleans coach Sean Payton said.

Payton’s having fun drawing up plays for the former basketball player. In Sunday’s victory at Jacksonville, Graham had the best game of his career -- 10 catches for 132 yards and a touchdown.

"He’s a guy that is going to give you headaches if he can stretch your team vertically," said Rivera, who will face Graham and the Saints on Sunday. "He has enough athletic ability and route-running ability and good hands to cause you problems underneath. And if you’re not careful and you try to match him up with the wrong guy, he could take advantage of that."

But it’s not just Graham that Rivera and the other NFC South coaches have to worry about. Every time an NFC South team takes the field these days, you have to worry about the tight ends.

They’re a huge part of every passing game. Graham is second in the league with 36 targets. At 35, Gonzalez hasn’t slowed a bit. He has 21 catches for 229 yards and is tied for second among the league’s tight ends with four touchdown catches. Winslow and Olsen each have been targeted 27 times, which ties them for seventh in the league among tight ends, and each have 17 catches. Shockey’s been targeted 19 times and has 11 catches.

"All those guys are like wide receivers playing tight end and they can block too," Vilma said. "As a defense, you have to account for them on every play. It's not really supposed to be like that. But, in our division, that’s the reality now."


(espn.com)

Rapidly developing into one of pro football's most exuberant and lethal receivers, the second-year New Orleans Saints tight end waits for his teammates — or perhaps ESPN's Chris Berman — to bestow upon him an unforgettable moniker.

"The Graham Reaper" perhaps?

"I like it,'' Graham said when someone suggested it Sunday after his 10-catch, 132-yard, 1 TD afternoon in a 23-10 victory in Jacksonville.

After all 6-6, 260-pound tight end and former Miami Hurricane basketball enforcer is slaying NFL secondaries. In his second season, he is first among tight ends in yardage (367), second in receptions (24) and tied for third in touchdowns with three.

Incredibly, Graham didn't play in high school, only played one year of football at Miami and has the equivalent of one pro season under his belt.
An edgy competitor who enjoys trash talking, Graham has averaged six catches and 91.7 yards while scoring touchdowns in three of four games.

His knowledge and confidence are building — and he only has scratched the surface of his potential.

"It seems like the game has slowed down to a crawl for me," said Graham, referring to his quick recognition of defensive schemes designed to thwart him.

An extremely edgy competitor who enjoys trash talking,

He said, "even close friends are shocked" by his outbursts. "I kind of black out a bit and just start saying stuff. I just love the game, man."

No tight end has racked up more 20-yard-plus plays (seven) as Graham has emerged into a downfield target for quarterback Drew Brees, who said "the sky is the limit for him." His early-season performances are a prime reason why the Saints (3-1) are tied for first in the NFC South with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Not so long ago, Graham was merely trying to survive. Discarded by family and living in foster care at 14 in Goldsboro, N.C., Graham was adopted by a single mother named Becky Vinson.

Before the nurse's aide rescued him, Graham carried his clothes in a plastic garbage liner, foraged for food and cried himself to sleep, he said.
Graham did not play high school football because Community Christian High in Wilson, N.C., did not have a team. Miami offered him a scholarship to play basketball.

The power forward was better known for his hacking prowess and intimidation tactics than for point production — he ranks fourth on the school's all-time foul list with 290.

"I (was allowed) five fouls, so I was going to use every one of them," Graham said with a smile.

As a fifth-year senior, the notion of "running through the smoke at Miami" to play football was too tempting, so he turned his attention to football.
Graham's athleticism — including 4.53 speed and a 38½— inch vertical jump — make him a matchup nightmare for defenses, particularly in the red zone where his leaping ability gives him a decided advantage. Against linebackers, he is a load and nearly unstoppable in one-on-one coverage.

Like former basketball players-turned-star tight ends Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates, Graham's transition has been swift. In only 16 games, he has caught 55 passes, averaging a touchdown once every 6.8 receptions.

Still, the Saints took a calculated risk by selecting the raw prospect with the 95th overall selection in the 2010 draft. He remains a work in progress.

"Usually, I am chippy after I have caught the ball and after I am down,'' he said. "(But) I don't want to get a 15-yard (penalty). If I get chippy, Sean will get chippy with me. That little guy is fierce, man.''

Two weeks ago, Saints coach Sean Payton ripped into him after Graham fouled up a route that resulted in a fourth-quarter interception in Houston. Instead of pouting, he rebounded and made three crucial fourth-quarter catches. Afterward, Brees called the young player "mentally tough, physically tough — he wants to be great."

Said Payton: "I am hard on him because we — all of us, himself included — think he is a special player."

Graham's intensity is unmistakable. He often will quickly jump up after a catch and flex his biceps at his opponents or the opposing sideline. He could draw a penalty flag for taunting, but Graham said his gyrations are nothing more than a reflection of his excitement, love for the game and the passion necessary to excel.

"I never will get physical with anybody," he said. "But it is football. You have to play with your heart on your sleeve."


(usatoday.com)

Jacksonville, Fla. - It's time to stop talking about Jimmy Graham's potential and start acknowledging his arrival. The future for the New Orleans Saints' second-year tight end is now. Right before our eyes he is blossoming into a bona-fide star.

If the NFL didn't know Graham's name after his 100-yard game against the Texans they undoubtedly do after his breakout performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

Graham's 10-catch, 132-yard manifesto not only sent the Saints to their third consecutive victory, it sent reporters scrambling to the record books.

It's been a long time since a Saints tight end had as prolific a day. His career-high catch and yardage totals ranked among the best efforts in club history. In fact, only one Saints tight end has ever had a more productive day, and that came 31 years ago when Henry Childs had 144 yards in a 38-35 loss to the 49ers on Dec. 7, 1980.

It's been even longer since a Saints tight end recorded consecutive 100-yard receiving games. The only other time it was accomplished was 1979, when Childs had 121- and 117-yard games against the Seahawks and Falcons.

"He continues to get better every week," said quarterback Drew Brees, who threw for 351 yards. "Today, he got rolling."

Indeed, from the Saints' deep and talented corps of playmakers, Graham has emerged as Brees' primary receiver. On Sunday, Brees targeted him 14 times, double that of any other player.

The Jaguars had no answer for Graham. He was too fast for their linebackers and too big for their safeties. He beat linebacker Paul Posluszny down the middle seam of the Jaguars' Cover-2 defense for a 29-yard gain early in the fourth quarter. Later, he raced past linebacker Clint Session for a 59-yard catch and run.

You can count on your hand the number of 6-foot-6, 265-pound men with that kind of athletic ability.

"It's awesome," Graham said. "Being such a young player, and the confidence he (Brees) has in me. I'm getting more and more confident, but I'm still not as confident as he is in me right now. He's always talking to me, telling me you're a viable option on every play. Just know no matter where it is, I'm going to be looking at you."

When the Saints drafted Graham out of the University of Miami last year, Payton said he'd one day be considered one of the steals of the draft. Four tight ends were taken before the Saints called his name in third round with the 95th overall pick.

The 2010 class of tight ends was a stellar group that included Jermaine Gresham, Rob Gronkowski, Ed Dickson, Tony Moeaki and Aaron Hernandez. Graham has emerged as the best of the bunch.

His 24 catches trail only Dallas' Jason Witten (27) among NFL tight ends. His 367 receiving yards lead all tight ends and rank fifth overall.
"His upside is limitless," said John Gilmore, a 10-year veteran who has played with the likes of Greg Olsen, Kellen Winslow Jr. and Heath Miller. "This guy is a special athlete."

Graham is on pace for the best season by a tight end in Saints history. He's also on pace to become just the third Saints tight end to make the Pro Bowl. The exclusive fraternity consists of Childs (1979) and Hoby Brenner (1987).

Yet, you won't hear such talk from the humble and hard-working Graham. Teammates laud his attitude and he's too busy trying to improve his all-around skills to consider his place in the game.

But that doesn't mean he isn't enjoying every second of the ride.

"This is greatest time I've ever had in a sport," Graham said. "I'm just kind of figuring things out out there. I've got to keep moving forward and hopefully keep getting better."

Graham's considerable skills and considerate nature have quickly made him a fan favorite. Some have even started a campaign to grant him with a nickname commiserate with his ability. Even his teammates have joined the cause. So far, none has stuck among the long list of candidates, including Golden Graham, The Graham Reaper, Graham Cracker, Graham Slam, Money Graham and Gimme Graham.

Saints radio play-by-play man Jim Henderson even hit Graham with a couple of his own suggestions, including "Graham Funk Railroad," which sparked a big laugh from the red-headed big man.

"I haven't heard that one," Graham said. "It's too long. It's hard to put on a T-shirt."

Not to mention a Pro Bowl jersey.


(nola.com)

Jimmy Graham, Saints, TE: A matchup problem for opposing defenses, especially in the red zone. He played just one season of college football after coming from a basketball background. He's a future Pro Bowler, and the only thing that kept him from being a late first-rounder was experience. The Saints got a steal in the third round.

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


(nfl.com)

NEW ORLEANS — When Jimmy Graham didn't cut in the face of his defender Sunday at the Superdome, he made Saints quarterback Drew Brees look like a fool.

Four plays after Houston free safety Danieal Manning's interception that stemmed from Graham's "quick memory lapse," the Texans took a nine-point fourth-quarter lead. But instead of admonishing his young tight end by unofficially removing him from the game plan, Brees called on 80 over and over.

Graham responded, in part because he's a talented, imposing figure, but more likely because of how the Saints and Brees handled Graham's misstep.

"After the play, Drew came to the sideline and told me, 'I'm going to keep coming to you, because I trust you,'" Graham said. "He told me he had faith in me. That meant a lot to me especially being a young player (24)."

Unfazed and encouraged by Brees' vote of confidence, Graham caught three passes in the final 10 minutes, including a 27-yard touchdown to spark a franchise-record 23-point fourth quarter and 40-33 comeback victory.

The massive NFL sophomore out of the University of Miami hauled in a pair of passes during the Saints' 93-yard game-winning drive, the last coming when the Saints faced third-and-10 near midfield with less than 3 minutes remaining.

"I'm going to turn that ball loose 100 out of 100 times to Jimmy Graham," said Brees, who hit Graham for 28 yards on what turned out to be his final completion of the ballgame.

Graham stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 260 pounds, so it didn't take long for the Saints to realize the potential of their third-round selection in last year's draft. A month after the 2010 season ended, New Orleans released veteran tight end Jeremy Shockey, a fan favorite and the man who caught the go-ahead score in the Saints' Super Bowl victory.

"All of us, himself included, think (Graham) is a special player," Saints head coach Sean Payton said.

After snatching five touchdowns in limited action last season, Graham already has 14 catches for 235 yards and a pair of scores this year.
"There's a lot of times and a lot of details that go into the passing game," Brees said. "As long as my guy does what he's supposed to, the ball's going to be there."

Although Graham still has room to work out the kinks and Brees will continue to aim to improve the chemistry by "working together," big things can be expected throughout the process.

"Jimmy is a young player who's continuing to grow," Brees said. "The sky's the limit for him. I love the fact we can have something happen on the field that's negative, and instead of him getting down, he comes back and makes a couple of huge catches. That tells me a lot about Jimmy Graham the person. He wants me to be able to trust him and have the utmost confidence in him, which I do."

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


(shreveporttimes.com)

Following the victory over the Texans, Saints tight end Jimmy Graham talked about bouncing back from a mistake that led to a Houston interception.

"It should have been a big gain. I just had a quick memory lapse of my assignment. I just have to be ready all of the time. It was definitely my fault.”

Graham said that Drew Brees let him know that he shouldn't dwell on it.

"After the play Drew came to the sideline and told me that he was going to keep coming to me because he trusted me. He told me he had faith in me. That meant a lot to me especially being a young player.”

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


(wwl.com)

Jimmy Graham went off for 100 yards and a touchdown on four catches as the Saints downed the Texans in Week 3.

Graham gained most of his yards on downfield routes and after the catch, going up and over Texans RCB Glover Quinn for his 27-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. A sensational athlete and major matchup dilemma for defenses, Graham will continue to be an every-week starter at least until Marques Colston (collarbone) returns. Keep Graham going against the Jaguars in Week 4.

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


(rotoworld.com)

METAIRIE, L a. – Jimmy Graham sat at his locker recently, still amazed that Adidas sent him boxes upon boxes of shoes.

In other words, the second-year tight end out of Miami still hasn’t hit that tipping point where the perks he receives for being a professional athlete are old hat.

Problem is, that’s not just an off-the-field problem for the youngster right now.

He’s still learning the game, getting used to being an NFL player and in Thursday night’s season-opening 42-34 loss to Green Bay, Graham said his inexperience played a factor in him being taken out of the game during long stretches.

“For me, it was, I guess, I wasn’t really getting to my depth,” said Graham, who finished with four catches for 56 yards and a touchdown.

He added, “I’m just young. I’m just learning. There are just things I’ve got to correct.”

Graham said for him problems come into play when he recognizes man coverage on him.

At 6-foot-6, 260 pounds, Graham is a matchup nightmare, an athletic specimen who played major college basketball at Miami before beginning his football career in his final year in South Florida.

So it’s natural that when he sees the one-on-one coverage, his eyes light up.

“It’s one of those where I’ve really got to just stay disciplined and do my moves and get to my depth,” Graham said. “Just kind of work on my precision with the route instead of just trying to speed it up because I know it’s coming to me.”

But Graham said he began to understand the game at the end of the Green Bay contest. On the Saints’ penultimate drive of the game, Graham caught two passes for 26 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown pass that pulled New Orleans within one score.

“I just think it’s me just going through and realizing what I was doing wrong,” Graham said. “We have clips on the sideline and I noticed I was breaking at eight instead of 12. It wasn’t me panicking, it was me just trying to get there as quick as possible and just over-thinking it instead of just playing.”


(wwltv.com)

Jimmy Graham’s childhood started off terribly, nothing but poverty, abandonment and neglect. Yet he survived it all and says, “I wouldn’t change anything.”  Through it all, he knows playing in the NFL is a privilege not to be taken lightly.

Since he was drafted by the New Orleans Saints 95th overall in the 2010 draft, he has done nothing but impress his teammates and coaches alike with his play on the field and his attitude off the field. 

Graham made a spectacular 19-yard catch to score his first NFL touchdown against the Carolina Panthers in week 9 of his rookie season during a 34-3 Saints rout, he hasn’t looked back since.

In his rookie year alone Jimmy Graham had 31 receptions for 356 yards and five touchdowns. He often made acrobatic catches that were just too difficult to defend.

This off-season head coach Sean Payton had enough confidence in Graham to release often injured veteran Jeremy Shockey, and name Graham as the starter.

Tight end David Thomas also was later re-signed to help solidify depth at the position. 

Graham has been an unbelievable surprise for the Saints considering he only had one year of college football experience behind him at the University of Miami before being drafted.

The Saints hope he turns out like another NFL tight end and former college basketball star, San Diego Chargers superstar Antonio Gates.
Right now Jimmy Graham has all the tools he needs to be successful in the league, and a quarterback in Drew Brees that can deliver the ball effectively in key situations.

This is going to be the year he makes tremendous strides in his young career to help make the Saints offense even stronger than it has ever been in seasons past.


(whodatdish.com)

Jimmy Graham caught five passes on eight targets for 73 yards against the Raiders in third preseason game.

The performance in just one half solidified our opinion that the breakout candidate is a top-seven fantasy tight end with monster upside. The Saints moved Graham around in a combination of routes and alignments reminiscent of Jermichael Finley in Green Bay. At a legit 6'6/260 with 4.5 wheels, Graham is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. If tonight's game is any indication, he could threaten for the team-lead in receptions.


(rotoworld.com)

Jimmy Graham has been targeted four times on third-down plays through two preseason games.

In other words, the Saints are comfortable throwing to Graham in big spots. That includes the red zone, where the 6-foot-6 Graham did his best work last year. While a high reception total isn't likely in the Saints' "spread the wealth" offense, our 2011 Draft Guide projects eight touchdowns for the talented tight end.


(rotoworld.com)

New Orleans Saints second-year TE Jimmy Graham has put on 10 pounds of muscle, weighing in at 265 pounds. He still has his explosive speed and leaping ability with the added weight, and QB Drew Brees targeted him regularly in drills at the start of training camp. Graham isn't surprised by the extra looks, as he believes Brees is trying to help him become more comfortable and build a rapport. Graham said he has consistently worked on improving as a blocker this year, because he is going to be required to do more of it during the upcoming season than he did as a rookie.



(kffl.com)

Jimmy Graham spiked the ball ferociously after a touchdown catch during a recent training camp practice, drawing a combination of cheers and laughter from the fans behind the end zone.

The celebration seemed to be Graham's way of saying he was really starting to understand how to play in the NFL, and having fun doing it.
''We're just competitive and I knew they were going to watch it later on film, so it's funny,'' Graham said of the spike, which came after he made leaping catch in a crowd of defenders, much like the way he grabbed rebounds when he was a college basketball power forward.

''I am 10 times better than I was last year at this point,'' Graham continued. ''But for me it's still (about) working hard and just keep taking those baby steps.''

Graham, who came from humble beginnings in North Carolina that included being picked on while living in a group home for children and being told by relatives that he'd ''amount to nothing,'' leans toward modesty when talking about himself.

Yet, while Graham talks about ''baby steps,'' the Saints see the 6-foot-6, 265-pound tight end making significant strides toward becoming one of the more fearsome components of their already explosive offense.

Some of that is based on his performance in the latter part of 2010, when quarterback Drew Brees began targeting him more.

Graham wound up starting five games, finishing with 31 catches for 356 yards, including one reception as long as 52 yards, and five touchdowns.

''It's easy to spot just raw talent, which he obviously (has),'' Brees said. ''He wants to be great and he is willing to work to do that. That is everything that you would want in a guy. He listens. ... He is starting to understand how important technique and fundamentals are.''

After playing four seasons of basketball at Miami, Graham played one season of football with the Hurricanes. He caught 17 passes for 213 yards and five touchdowns.

The Saints decided they had seen enough to take Graham in the third round of the 2010 draft, and hope that Brees eventually would develop the same chemistry with Graham that he had in his days with another converted basketball player, Antonio Gates.

By the end of 2010, Graham's growth made it easier for the Saints to release starting tight end Jeremy Shockey.

Graham understood the move was a vote of confidence in him, but he was conflicted because he saw Shockey as a mentor and still talks to him regularly.

''I'll be on the phone with him and he's still telling me what to do,'' Graham said. ''He's like my older brother still, but for me I know it's going to be a great opportunity.''

At the same time, Graham sensed he had a long way to go to master his position. During the NFL lockout, he flew from his offseason home in downtown Miami to New Orleans for workouts organized by Brees and defensive captain Jon Vilma at Tulane, giving him a chance to strengthen his relationship with his quarterback, but also to work with veteran tight end David Thomas.

Graham has added between 5 and 10 pounds of bulk and said he has been focused on becoming a better blocker.

''I just want to be a complete tight end to where, whenever I'm on the field, you don't know what's going on,'' Graham said. ''Last year I felt like a lot of opponents knew we were going to pass the ball when I was in there. Now I just want to be able to block and hold my own.''

While Graham went to Miami, he has yet to be mentioned in the scandal surrounding booster Nevin Shapiro and does not expect the NCAA's investigation of the matter to be a major distraction for him.

Graham said he recalled seeing Shapiro sitting in courtside seats when he was a basketball player, but said he could not recall hearing of teammates receiving improper gifts from him. He added, ''I don't know the guy. I was a battling power forward. When it comes to big guys they were helping, they wouldn't help me out. I was a nobody.''

It is apparent now, however, that Graham is no longer a ''nobody'' in New Orleans, particularly when it comes to his growing relationship with Brees.

''Last year, I think at the end of the year, I was jelling with him very well, especially those last couple games,'' Graham said. ''For me, it's just working and building off that. I know he has confidence in me and now I've just got to go out there and prove it.''



(ap.com)

The New Orleans Times-Picayune still believes Jimmy Graham is "primed for a breakout season."

"Graham will be and should be a popular pick in fantasy football leagues this season," writes the Times-Picayune's Jeff Duncan. Graham has dropped weight since a slow start to camp. He's flown under the radar the past few weeks, allowing his ADP to level off in the seventh round.



(rotoworld.com)

The Saints love his talent and the mismatches he presents in the red zone for the Saints offense.  However, Tight end Jimmy Graham has struggled with drops at times in the camp so far.  He’ll make a couple of tough catches and then drop a routine pass.  It’s puzzling, but at the same time kind of expected from a guy that hasn’t been playing football very long.  Graham was primarily a basketball player until the end of his college career.  There are still going to be growing pains with Graham, but for the most part he’ll be a huge weapon in 2011. 

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


(wwl.com)

METAIRIE, La. ― If you’re one of the Saints coaches, you likely never know what's going to happen when you see a pass going to Jimmy Graham.

You absolutely have no idea what you’re going to get.  But we’ve got to remember he’s only in his second season in the NFL and played only one year of college football.

And yet, you see how he ended team drills Wednesday and realize that the good is way more worth remembering than the bad.

The Saints were in second-and-10 at the 11 with 1 second left in the two-minute drill. Quarterback Drew Brees scrambled to his left, buying time as the buzzer rang.

Brees spotted Graham in the end with cornerback Patrick Robinson in coverage and lofted a pass toward the end zone.

Graham leapt high, with Robinson tumbling to the ground beneath him and nickel back Leigh Torrence behind him. He clutched the ball, coming down in the end zone for a touchdown and adding a highlight, albeit in practice, to his reel.

Graham emphatically spiked the ball even as the defensive backs claimed that the tight end came down out of bounds.

“I’m just hoping that the DB coach sees that on film tonight and can rehash those memories again,” Graham said afterward.

So, sure, he has dropped easy passes throughout camp. But he also has come through with some acrobatic and athletic catches this camp that whet the appetite for what is assuredly a standout career.

Click here to order Jimmy Garaham’s proCane Rookie Card.


(wwltv.com)

One thing has been made very clear during the New Orleans Saints first three days of practice: tight end Jimmy Graham, the second year man out of Miami, looms large in the New Orleans offense.

And Graham appears ready for his starring role. He has added 10 pounds of muscle and now weight in at 265. But he still has his explosiveness and leaping ability, and quarterback Drew Brees has targeted Graham repeatedly in drills.

Graham said that's not surprising - Brees is trying to get him more reps to build confidence in the connection between the two. But with veterans David Thomas and Tory Humphrey still floating in the free agent ether, Graham is unquestionably the man.

"I'm going to have to block a lot more than I did last year so I'm constantly working at that and trying to get better at that," he said. "I'm definitely going to have a lot more responsibility than I did last year and the mental errors I had last year I can't have that."

Fellow Hurricane tight end Jeremy Shockey is gone, let go by the Saints and signed by Carolina. But Shockey still kept his Miami roots close in the off-season, working out back on campus with middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma. Graham played one year at Miami after exhausting his basketball eligibility and yet still found himself drafted in the third round in 2010.

"It's incredible to think how far I've come in two years and it seems like I'm still taking steps forward," he said.


(nola.com)

(nola.com)

New Orleans Saints TE Jimmy Graham said he currently weighs 265 pounds after finishing the season at 255 pounds. Graham said all of the weight he added was muscle. "That's all I've been doing is working out," he said. "It's all muscle."




(kffl.com)

In April Graham was at the University of Miami campus working out with others, including Denver Bronco linebacker D.J. Williams. Apparently Williams challenged Graham to a mock forty-yard dash expecting to smoke him as the lighter, faster of the two. Instead just the opposite took place, enjoy the video.

Remember the name Jimmy Graham on fantasy draft day. Hear me now, thank me later. And you will be thanking me for this one. Drew Brees and Saints coach Sean Payton will see to it that the second-year player out of Miami (Fla.) will be in the top half-dozen point scorers among tight ends in 2011. Graham showed flashes of potential at the end of last season, and the offseason release of Jeremy Shockey makes him the clear-cut starter in an offense that will put up major points. I can see Graham being one of the season's best fantasy draft bargains.


(nfl.com)

Jimmy Graham entered the NFL last season with just one year of college football experience -- he played basketball during his undergrad years at Miami and took up football during his first year of graduate work -- but he far exceeded expectations as a rookie.

His quick assimilation has me jumping out of my chair to see what he will do in his second year, and this time next year we could very well be lumping him in with Antonio Gates, Vernon Davis and Jermichael Finley as the top pass-catching tight ends in the league.

Graham’s size is the first thing you notice about him. He has a basketball build (extreme height, long arms) and will continue to fill out as he mature, but Graham’s movement skills are those of a much smaller, more compact man.

He seems to glide across the field and rarely looks uncoordinated despite his lack of football experience, and his routes are natural and will only get better with time. Even his run and pass blocking are serviceable, and they, too, will continue to improve.

Graham can run past linebackers out of the slot and stretch the field in the passing game, and it won’t be long before he is one of the elite red zone targets in the NFL. He wasn’t much of a factor early in 2010 but got more playing time later in the season, scoring four touchdowns in the final three games of the regular season.

The New Orleans offense is perfect for Graham’s skill set. Having Drew Brees distributing the ball helps any receiving target, but coach Sean Payton also uses a diverse attack with varied personnel groupings that can move a player like Graham around the formation to get favorable matchups based on his combination of size and speed, and the attention he commands can also open up room for his teammates.

Given the Saints’ offseason commitment to solidifying their running game Graham should see looser coverages this season, and based on how easy he made things look in his rookie year I can’t wait to see what he does in 2011.



(espn.com)

Sam Shields, CB, Packers
The Packers have found their eventual successor for Charles Woodson in an undrafted free agent with remarkable speed and athleticism. Shields rose from the bottom of the depth chart to become a key contributor in the team's sub packages. With few cornerbacks capable of matching his speed and natural ball skills (four interceptions in 2010), he is poised to have a big second season.

Jimmy Graham, TE, Saints
Sean Payton letting Jeremy Shockey go was largely due to the development of Graham. The former basketball standout quickly became one of Drew Brees' favorite red-zone targets. With more opportunities to snag balls as the No. 1 tight end, Graham could see his numbers double in his second season. At 6-8, he creates big problems for cover players, and should be huge in the red zone. It will be a shock if he doesn't catch 70 passes.

Antonio Dixon, DT, Philadelphia Eagles:
The undrafted Dixon was a surprise starter in Philly last season after being claimed the year before on waivers from the Redskins. He is a powerful man who holds up against the run, but also can push the pocket. With the experience he got last year, he should be ready for even more.



(nfl.com)

Jimmy Graham (left) and Jo-Lonn Dunbar workout on their own during the lockout.

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



(cnnsi.com)

Welcome to our 1st annual and long overdue proCane Rankings where we look back at the 2010 NFL season and rank the 43 proCanes that took snaps in 2010 (except for Sinorice Moss who was placed on IR before the start of the season).

Stay tuned as we countdown from number 43 to number 1. Our rankings are based on each player’s performance last year. In August we’ll go ahead and re-rank the player’s based on our 2011 expectations. For now read our review of each player’s 2010 season and where they rank overall. Enjoy!

To read our rankings of players 43-35, click here.

To read our rankings of players 34-26, click here.

25. Jeremy Shockey TE New Orleans Saints/Carolina Panthers: In Shockey’s nine-year career he has not once been able to play all 16 games in a single season and unfortunately 2010 was no different. Shockey was only able to play in 13 games which ultimately led to the emergence of fellow proCane TE Jimmy Graham and Shockey’s release in the offseason and signing with the Panthers. Shockey accumulated a career low 408 yards receiving, and career lows in receptions (31) and yards per reception (31.2). Shockey will be reunited for the 2011 season with proCane offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski in Carolina. If he can stay healthy and the Panthers can find a quarterback, Shockey could have a big season because Chudzinski’s offenses emphasize the TE.

24. Bryant McKinnie LT Minnesota Vikings: After making the Pro Bowl in 2009, but not being voted to the Pro Bowl in 2010, most would think McKinnie did not have as good of a 2010 campaign, but on the contrary McKinnie according to himself and coaches played more consistently in 2010 while protecting Favre’s backside as well as Tarvaris Jackson’s. McKinnie still needs to lose some weight this offseason to improve his quickness versus edge rushers and vowed to do that with a personal trainer, especially since he will be seeing Julius Peppers twice again this season.

23. Willis McGahee RB Baltimore Ravens: McGahee the last two seasons has been stuck behind Ray Rice as the number two back for the Ravens. As a result in 2010 McGahee had his worst year statistically with only 380 yards rushing and 5 TDs on the ground and 1 TD through the air on only 100 rushing attempts. McGahee in 2009 had totaled 14 TDs as he was the main red-zone threat for the Ravens, but wasn’t featured as much inside the 20-yard line in 2010. McGahee can still be a starter in the NFL and is approaching free agency this year where it looks like he will not be resigned by the Ravens. Look for him to have a bigger impact in 2011.

22. Jimmy Graham TE New Orleans Saints: After not appearing in the first two games of his rookie season, Jimmy Graham slowly made his presence known for the Saints as he topped 70 yards receiving in two games and finished the 2010 season with five touchdowns as he subbed for fellow injured proCane Jeremy Shockey. Graham performed so well in 2010 and showed so much potential that the Saints released Shockey this offseason and plan on using Graham as their feature TE in 2011.

21. Rocky McIntosh LB Washington Redskins: McIntosh had his best season statistically with 73 tackles despite playing for the first time in his career in a 3-4 defense as the RILB. McIntosh has had a solid and somewhat underrated career and turned many heads by showing his versatility and playing so well in a 3-4 defense as well as versus the pass. Most seem to think he won’t be with the Redskins next year, but look for him to have no trouble signing with another team and picking up where he left off.

20. Kenny Phillips S NY Giants: Phillips played in only two games in 2009 because of the need of microfracture surgery on one of his knees. Many at the time said Phillips’ career was over and he would never be able recover after such a serious injury and surgery. Not only did Phillips come back, but he had a solid season in his first season playing beside fellow proCane Antrel Rolle. Phillips played in all 16 games and started 15 of them. Though he only recorded one interception he had career highs in tackles (77) and pass deflections (5). Phillips did admit that it took him a while to feel 100% physically and mentally but he did stay healthy and put up good numbers which leads us to believe he is in for a big 2011 season.

19. Antrel Rolle S NY Giants: In his first season with the Giants, Rolle was named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl and had a solid though not spectacular season for the Giants. Rolle started all 16 games and the fact that he had only one interception may be misleading as he played a lot closer to the line of scrimmage than most safeties. Look for Rolle to become more comfortable in the Giants’ defense and as long as he continues to play well on the field and create less headlines off of it, he and Phillips could become one of the best safety tandems in the NFL.

18. Eric Winston RT Houston Texans: The only explanation we can come up with for Winston not making a Pro Bowl yet, is that he plays for the small market Texans. Winston has been stellar at RT for the Texans and 2010 was no exception. Winston played at an All-Pro level during 2010 with one exception versus the Tennessee Titans where he was beat for two sacks. Look for 2011 to be an even better season for Winston and the Texans, and look for him to make his long overdue first Pro Bowl.

17. Brandon Meriweather S New England Patriots: Meriweather made his second consecutive Pro Bowl after a good 2010 season, though he was inconsistent at times. Meriweather started 13 of the 16 games and in three games only record one tackle while versus the Colts, for example, recorded 7 tackles and an interception. His inconsistency led to him sharing time with the other Patriot safeties as his numbers did slip from his 2008 and 2009 seasons. The Patriots do expect more from Meriweather, and look for him to step up in the 2011 season with the increased competition at the safety position.

16. Chris Myers C Houston Texans: Despite having a solid 2009 season Myers did take a lot of heat in the offseason from Texan fans mainly because of the lasting image of Kris Jenkins throwing him to the turf towards the end of that season. Myers followed up his solid 2009 campaign with a stellar 2010 season where he was ranked as the #3 center in the league by ProFootballFocus.com and anchors a Texans offensive line which at one point featured three proCane starters; Myers, Eric Winston, and Rashad Butler. Look for Myers to continue his stellar play in 2011 and hopefully make his Pro Bowl debut.

Check back tomorrow to see which proCanes were ranked 15th through 8th!

With every passing day, the New Orleans Saints Super Bowl victory becomes more and more of a distant memory. As a lifelong resident of New Orleans, it is difficult to convey how special the Saints championship was for me and everyone else in New Orleans. And the players who helped lead us to the Promised Land will forever be Saints in our hearts. Unfortunately, the NFL is a business and one by one, our Super Bowl Saints are feeling the march of Father Time and the economic realities of the league. The latest casualty was TE Jeremy Shockey who was released.

Jeremy Shockey's legacy in New Orleans

When Jeremy Shockey joined the New Orleans Saints in 2008, I was "shocked." On the surface, Shockey did not seem like the kind of player that Sean Payton wanted in the Saints locker room. When Payton arrived in New Orleans, he cleaned house and cut or traded those who were not team players and were not 100% committed to winning. And Jeremy Shockey's reputation with the New York Giants was that of a loose cannon with an attitude problem.

But then I realized that Payton had coached Shockey when they were together in New York. I hoped that Payton knew something about Jeremy Shockey that I did not. Quickly, I realized that what others saw as a loose cannon was really a player who gave maximum effort with a thirst for winning. And the only attitude that I saw was his sheer joy at helping his team win. Most importantly, New Orleans Saints fans will never forget his pivotal TD catch in Super Bowl XLIV. We will never forget you, Jeremy and we will always thank you.

For Jimmy Graham(notes), the future is now

I don't know if a third round draft pick qualifies as a steal. But to hear experts and NFL insiders talk about Jimmy Graham, you would think that he's got more potential than the energy stored in a uranium atom. Despite everything that Jeremy Shockey brought to each and every game in which he played, he did seem to be injured quite often. And if he was destined to be the second option at TE, the Saints could not be expected to pay him $4.2 million in 2011.

But if Saints offensive guru Sean Payton trusts the skills of football novice Jimmy Graham, I should have faith in him as well. As the 2010 NFL season wore on, I could see Drew Brees(notes) go to Graham more and more often. To truly be effective though, Graham will have to continue to improve as a run blocker. In three years, NFL fans may be talking about Jimmy Graham in the same breath as the likes of Tony Gonzalez(notes). But for now, I would prefer to reminisce about the great times I had watching Jeremy Shockey help lead the New Orleans Saints to a Super Bowl victory.

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



(sports.yahoo.com)

NEW ORLEANS -- For flamboyant tight end Jeremy Shockey, the party is over -- at least in New Orleans.

Shockey was released Tuesday by the Saints, who appear ready to move on with promising second-year pro and 2010 third-round draft choice Jimmy Graham.

"It's a business, I understand," Shockey told ESPN's Rachel Nichols. "I'll just go play hard for someone else. Whoever gets me it's going to be a steal."

Shockey was no stranger to the Big Easy social scene and also helped give the city a reason to celebrate like never before. He made a crucial touchdown catch in the fourth quarter of the Saints' lone Super Bowl victory over Indianapolis in Miami just more than a year ago.

But with one season and $4.2 million in base salary left on Shockey's contract, the Saints decided the best way to pursue a second championship would be without the 30-year-old, nine-year veteran.

"Jeremy played an important role in helping our team bring a Super Bowl championship to New Orleans," coach Sean Payton said. "He contributed to the success of our offense, both as a pass-catcher and run blocker, and we're appreciative of his efforts."

Acquired from the New York Giants in a trade at the onset of 2008 training camp, Shockey spent three up-and-down seasons in New Orleans and labored through injuries in all of them.

Last season, Shockey made 41 catches for 408 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games.

Shockey's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, did not answer his phone, but Shockey posted a note on his Twitter page: "Always will remember my time in New Orleans. What a city, you all welcomed me like one of your own, and we had a great run. Onto the next chapter, the Deep Unknown."

Shockey, a former Miami Hurricanes star who makes his offseason home in Miami's South Beach, is an adventure traveler and avid free diver. While he played for the Giants, who made him a first-round draft pick in 2002, he was popular and productive, but also seen as a malcontent and a distraction by the time his stay in New York had ended.

In New Orleans, he rejoined Payton, who had been his offensive coordinator in New York during his rookie season, which remains one of his best seasons statistically, with 74 catches for 894 yards and two TDs.

After Shockey arrived in New Orleans, he often sidestepped reporters and for the most part avoided generating negative headlines.

Not entirely, though. In 2008, he was critical of the team's handling of his sports hernia injury, which he contended was misdiagnosed. Off the field, he made news for being hospitalized after passing out because of dehydration at a pool-side party in Las Vegas in the summer of 2009.

As he looks for a new team, Shockey's resume includes 510 catches for 5,688 yards and 33 TDs in his nine-season career. The questions now are how many good seasons he has left and which teams want to take a chance on him.

In his three seasons in New Orleans, he caught 139 passes for 1,460 yards with six touchdowns in 38 regular season games, 34 of them starts.

Last season, Shockey made an effort to serve as a mentor for Graham, who also attended Miami, but entered college as a basketball player before a lone season of football with the 'Canes.

Graham improved steadily as the season wore on and became a trusted target for quarterback Drew Brees, who raved about his rapid development. Graham finished his rookie season with 31 catches for 356 yards and five touchdowns, with one play going for 52 yards.

Graham routinely credited Shockey for teaching him the NFL game and Saints officials said they appreciated not just Shockey's effort on game days, but his willingness to hasten the development of his understudy.

"I'd like to thank Jeremy for the contributions he made to our team," general manager Mickey Loomis said. "These decisions are never easy to make and we wish him the best."

Shockey through Twitter said: “Always will remember my time in New Orleans. What a city, you all welcomed me like one of your own, and we had a great run. Onto the next chapter, the Deep Unknown.”

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



(espn.com)

By Jimmy Gill, University of Miami Sports Administration Graduate Student

There are currently 42 former Hurricanes in the National Football League, but the route that New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham took might have been the most unique. The former UM basketball player has made a successful transition to the NFL after playing just one year of college football. His story is inspirational to all, proving that through hard work and perseverance, truly anything is possible.

Originally from Goldsboro, N.C., Graham's home life as a child has been well-chronicled. He never knew his father and his mother decided to put him in a group home when he was just 11 years old. It was a less than ideal start to life.

However, his life turned around when he met his adoptive mother Rebecca Vinson.

"She helped me and believed in me when nobody did," Graham recalled to the Associated Press. "I remember being a kid, and everyone told me I was going to be nothing, and she believed in me. I owe her everything."

Vinson eventually sent Graham to Charis Prep for high school where he blossomed into a star athlete playing basketball, tennis, baseball and football during his time for the Crimson Tide. He saw the most success on the hardwood, as he averaged 20.7 points, 13.8 rebounds and 4.6 blocks per game as a senior, becoming an Honorable-Mention All-American by Street & Smith.

Basketball coaches across the nation took notice, as he became a top recruit.

"I saw this big, red-headed kid that could jump and was very raw offensively," said Miami head coach Frank Haith, bringing up his first impression of Graham. "I loved his tenacity and how hard he played. He was fearless. Jimmy was on the floor more than anybody and was not afraid to take charges. You just loved that about him."

Graham left Charis Prep after basketball season his season year and came to Coral Gables for the spring semester in 2005. He had no idea where his life as a student-athlete would take him.

Click here to read the rest of the story at Hurricanesports.com

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

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)

The New Orleans Times-Picayune's Jeff Duncan fully expects Jimmy Graham to win the Saints' starting tight end job in 2011.

Of Jeremy Shockey, Duncan goes so far as to suggest the Saints might release him and move forward with Graham as the starter, while re-signing David Thomas to be Graham's primary backup. Graham must make strides as a run blocker to become an every-down tight end, but regardless he'll be one of the top-10 players at the position off the board in 2011 fantasy drafts.

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



(nbcsports.com)

Saints coach Sean Payton confirmed Monday that Jimmy Graham's ankle injury will heal without surgery.

It sounds like Graham might've played had the Saints advanced to the Divisional Round. Despite going catch-less in the first five weeks of his rookie year, Graham finished with 31 grabs for 356 yards and five touchdowns and is clearly the team's tight end of the future. He'll offer top-five fantasy tight end upside in 2011 drafts, regardless of whether Jeremy Shockey returns.



(rotoworld.com)

6 proCanes made early exits out of the NFL playoffs after he wildcard round this weekend.

Reggie Wayne (Colts), Javarris James (Colts), Jon Vilma (Saints), Jimmy Graham (Saints), Jeremy Shockey (Saints), Antonio Dixon (Eagles) all lost their respective games and will start their offseason.

Below are the remaining proCanes in the NFL playoffs.

AFC: Ed Reed (Ravens), Ray Lewis (Ravens), Tavares Gooden (Ravens), Willis McGahee (Ravens), Brandon Meriweather (Patriots), Vince Wilfork (Patriots).

NFC: Kelly Jennings (Seahawks), Spencer Adkins (Falcons), Devin Hester (Bears), Greg Olsen (Bears), Sam Shields (Packers).

Jimmy Graham (ankle) did not participate in Saints practice on Thursday, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune's Jeff Duncan.

Our View: He's beginning to look pretty doubtful for the Saints' Saturday Wild Card tilt with the Seahawks. Official word should come tomorrow, but don't consider him likely to give it a go this weekend. Hopefully for New Orleans, Jeremy Shockey can get over his own injury, though it looks like he has as Shockey did practice yesterday.

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



(rototimes.com)

17 proCanes will participate in the 2010 NFL playoffs. 8 from the AFC and 9 from the NFC. Below is a list of the players.

AFC: Reggie Wayne (Colts), Javarris James (Colts), Ed Reed (Ravens), Ray Lewis (Ravens), Tavares Gooden (Ravens), Willis McGahee (Ravens), Brandon Meriweather (Patriots), Vince Wilfork (Patriots).

NFC: Kelly Jennings (Seahawks), Jon Vilma (Saints), Jimmy Graham (Saints), Jeremy Shockey (Saints), Antonio Dixon (Eagles), Spencer Adkins (Falcons), Devin Hester (Bears), Greg Olsen (Bears), Sam Shields (Packers).

Saints TE Jimmy Graham caught both of his targets for 15 yards and a four-yard touchdown in the Saints' Week 17 loss to Tampa Bay. He also left the game in the second quarter with an ankle injury, and did not return.

Graham's status for the opening round of the playoffs at Seattle is unknown at this point, but he had become a reliable red zone option for Drew Brees after catching four touchdowns in the last three weeks, including a game-winner against Atlanta in Week 16. Given the injury issues to fellow TEs Jeremy Shockey and Dave Thomas, Graham will be sorely needed if the Saints are to return to the Super Bowl.

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



(rotoworld.com)