The New Orleans Saints don't exactly have a roster overflowing with big, physical receivers. That's what makes TE Juwan Johnson's ability, and more specifically availability, so important to the success of the offense in 2025.
Johnson showed off that ability during Thursday's joint practice with the Rams, catching six passes and the eye of WWL Radio's Deuce McAllister.
“He's got to stay healthy, because he’s a difference-maker," Deuce said. "The Saints offensivelym when they couldn’t run the ball, they went to Juwan early and every time he got open. They couldn’t guard him."
It's been a bit of a slow start for Juwan after he dealt with a groin injury early in camp, but he's back to being a full participant and he's been a popular target of QB Spencer Rattler, who worked with the 1s in the joint session. He also had a key grab on a 2-minute drive led by Tyler Shough to close out the day, stepping out of bounds at the 25-yard line with 12 seconds to go and setting up a potential game-winning field goal.
The Saints signed Johnson to a 3 year, $30 million contract extension this past offseason, signaling expectations for an expanded role in Kellen Moore's offense. Johnson's career high in targets was 66, set in the 2024 season.
"If he can stay healthy he gives the Saints a little bit different body, because from a big receiver standpoint we don’t really have it outside of [Cedrick] Wilson," Deuce continued. "He can fill that void, easily.”
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On the run game, or lack thereof
"What I was probably frustrated with the most was the run game offensively. It took them too many periods to get going. Now, Alvin [Kamara] had a run or two, Cam Akers, you know, Kendre [Miller] had a run or two, but it took them too long to really get some room running the ball and so that’s something that we’ve got to continue to monitor.”
Big day for defense
"I was pleased to see Chase Young have the day he had. There was a series ... he had three sacks. He had a sack every play, and I’m talking about yea, you don’t touch the quarterback and the quarterback may have thrown it and it was a completion down the field, but he looked really, really good. Demario [Davis] was all over the field … and [Julian] Blackmon, the defense had three interceptions, so the defense held their own. It’s always tough when you talk about run game, if a guy is close is he actually gonna tackle him, because they weren’t going to the ground, for the most part, but defensively I thought they made some plays. … Isaiah Stalbird had a couple of plays where he flashed, so I thought it was really, really good work.”