Saints tight end Juwan Johnson took a big leap last season and he’d like to do it again this year.
Johnson caught 17 passes for 198 yards and four touchdowns over his first two seasons in the NFL, but broke out with 42 catches for 508 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023. The Saints now have Derek Carr at quarterback and Johnson said the two have developed a connection that leaves them on “the same accord” in terms of how the offense operates.
Johnson is hoping that connection and the work he’s put in over the offseason will allow him to make a jump to the next level as a player.
“I’ve always seen myself being a good player,” Johnson said, via the team’s website. “That’s how I’ve always carried myself, going into high school and college, me being a good player but I know I always could be great. That’s the tier I’m trying to break into, being great. I do a lot of things good, but I know there are improvements that I can make both receiving, pass blocking and just being a leader. Those are all things and they’re very tangible, and I think if I stay consistent in what I’m doing — guys gravitate to me just because of what I try to do consistently, not say one thing and talk out of the other side of my mouth. I just try to be who I am, and I think that gravitates on the field and off the field. So just keep doing that, and I think it’s going to be good.”
A breakout year for Johnson would be a boost to the Saints’ chances of making a leap of their own and returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
