Disappointed by his injury-plagued 2012, Saints TE Graham, now healthy, expects better

METAIRIE, La. – Jimmy Graham talks about his performance last season as if it was a disappointment.

Forget that many tight ends would have been pleased to make 85 catches — which led the Saints — for 982 yards and nine touchdowns.

That still represented a drop-off for the 6-foot-7 Graham, who had one the best seasons ever for a tight end in 2011.

A converted college basketball player drafted out of Miami in 2010, Graham became a Pro Bowl tight end in only his second NFL season, when he had 99 catches for 1,310 yards 11 TDs.

Graham hoped he would be even better in Year 3, but was hampered for much of last season by a left wrist injury.

Graham says he now nearly fully recovered and hungrier than ever.