Jimmy Graham does not plan to have shoulder surgery this offseason

Jimmy Graham plans not to undergo shoulder surgery this offseason

New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Grahamsaid in a radio interview on Friday that he will not undergo shoulder surgery this offseason.

Graham had said that he would use the Pro Bowl to help decide whether he needs surgery.

He reportedly sustained a sprained shoulder in October but still played in every game. The 28-year-old caught 85 passes for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Near the end of the season, Graham came under scrutiny for his play and how it was affecting the Saints' offense.

"[The shoulder] was something that really needed some rest and unfortunately it wasn't able to get that during the season," Graham told SiriusXM. "It happened early, and then you got 10 straight weeks of just trying to make it to the game. But now, after having about three or four weeks off, and last week kind of testing it at the Pro Bowl, it feels great.

"I've been doing rehab and I'm going to start back on my rehab Monday," Graham continued. "And really there's going to be no surgery. I'm just going to do rehab, strengthen the area. And that's what's best -- is not taking, having to take six months off to try to heal up a surgery but now have those six months to work on all the things that I need to to try to get hopefully to a place like this next year."

New Orleans went 7-9 and finished in second place in the NFC South.