Five-year veteran tight end Juwan Johnson signed a new contract with the New Orleans Saints. Johnson, a former undrafted free agent, spent the entirety of his professional career with the New Orleans Saints.
Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints, Agree to Contract
Juwan Johnson reached the end of his contract following arguably the best season of his career. Playing in all 17 games, the tight end finished the season with three touchdowns and set career highs in receptions (50) and yards (548) despite catching passes from Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener for part of the season. Despite his success, the Saints had a disappointing season and fired head coach Dennis Allen midway through the campaign. Even with interim head coach Darren Rizzi leading the way, the team suffered too many injuries for sustained success.
Johnson originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent following the 2020 NFL Draft. Signing with the New Orleans Saints, the unheralded prospect spent most of his first two years in a depth role before breaking out in 2022. Appearing in 16 games while making 12 starts, the tight end recorded 42 receptions for 508 yards and seven touchdowns from Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston. Unfortunately, the tight end’s breakout asn’t enough to guide this team to the playoffs in the first year of the Dennis Allen Era.
New Orleans signed Derek Carr in 2023 to bring some stability to the quarterback position. Unfortunately, Carr’s presence couldn’t bring out the best in Johnson, as the tight end regressed during his fourth season in the league. Suiting up for 13 games, the Penn State product recorded 37 receptions for 368 yards and four touchdowns on 59 targets as New Orleans missed the playoffs for the third straight season.
Since signing his rookie contract, Juwan Johnson has appeared in 67 games while making 34 starts. While on the field, the former undrafted free agent has recorded 146 receptions for 1,622 yards and 18 touchdowns on 222 targets.
Main Photo: Jeff Hanisch – USA Today Sports
