Here’s something for New Orleans Saints fans to cheer about. Juwan Johnson has put in a ton of work over the years, and he’s beginning to reap the rewards. After signing with the Saints as an undrafted wide receiver out of Oregon back in 2020, Johnson converted to tight end, packed on 15 pounds of muscle, and is still running with the kick return units on special teams. He’s done a lot to help the team however he can, and now he’s consistently flashing big-play ability whenever the ball goes his way.
And he’s playing often. Johnson has logged more snaps on offense than any other tight end, wide receiver, quarterback, or running back; only starting linemen Ryan Ramczyk, Cesar Ruiz, Erik McCoy, and James Hurst (479 snaps each) have been on the field more often than Johnson (327). He’s averaging a modest 2.7 receptions and 28.9 receiving yards per game this season, but 10 of Johnson’s 19 catches have converted a first down. He’s already caught more passes and gained more yards (202) than in his first two seasons combined. The 63.3% catch rate he’s posted this year is the highest of his career.
