Saints Sign Veteran TE Tom Crabtree, Raises Questions About Graham’s Injured Shoulder

With All-Pro tight end Jimmy Graham recovering from a sprained shoulder, the New Orleans Saints added veteran tight end Tom Crabtree (pictured left) to their roster today.

According to the official NFL wire, to make room for Crabtree on the 53 man roster, the Saints officially placed Jairus Byrd on injured reserve.

Crabtree, 28, has spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers and most recently, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, since breaking into the league in 2009 as an undrafted free agent out of Miami (Ohio).

Tampa Bay cut Crabtree in May after one season with the Bucs.

Crabtree's strengths are pass protection and run blocking, though he has caught 28 passes and 5 touchdowns in his career. He also has played special teams throughout his pro career.

The signing raises questions about the severity of All-Pro Jimmy Graham's injury. According to NFL.com, Graham sprained his shoulder in Sunday's overtime win over the Bucs.

New Orleans is currently in a bye week, and head coach Sean Payton offered no updates on the health status of Graham.

With the addition of Crabtree, the Saints now have 4 tight ends on the active roster. (Ben Watson, Josh Hill)