Juwan Johnson had a breakout campaign in 2025. He was one of the most productive tight ends in the NFL. Last season has led to the New Orleans Saints tight end making the PFF All-Undrafted team. Analyst Daire Carragher believes Johnson is the best tight end in the league that wasn't drafted.
It's a very specific compliment, but it's far from unfounded. Johnson just had 889 yards and 77 catches in 2025, both career highs. These were the best numbers of his career and some of the best numbers of any tight end last season.
With momentum like this, can Johnson sustain it? Signs point to yes. One could easily argue Johnson has been building up to this moment. He had to make the transition to tight end from wide receiver. It took him some time to make that transition, but he's been flashing his talent for years. Last season was just him stringing it togeher with consistency.
Juwan Johnson is unlikely to be a flash in the pan for the Saints but the numbers could change
A breakout season in Year 6 is going to naturally raise some questions on whether or not it can be replicated. Johnson’s season could have just been a flash in the pan. The truth is it may look that way in the box score at the end of the season, but Johnson is set up to continue with his effectiveness trajectory. Part of what led to Johnson stacking these numbers is his positioning in the pecking order.
For the majority of the season, Johnson was second behind Chris Olave. At his lowest, Johnson was the third option on the team behind Olave and Rashid Shaheed, but there was many times where he felt more prioritized than Shaheed. Johnson may not be as much of a priority this upcoming year. That could dip his numbers slightly.
Olave’s going to remain at the top. Jordyn Tyson will get more shine than Shaheed did last year, and Moore has already expressed regret on not getting Devaughn Vele involved earlier. All of that could infringe on Juwan Johnson’s 100+ targets from last year.
The box score may not tell the full story. Johnson is still one of the team's best run after catch threats on the team. It's admittedly a place where the receiving corps lacks at the moment. Johnson may do a lot of work underneath in the middle of the field. He can turn 7 yards into 11 or 4 yards into 7. Those moments tend to go unnoticed but they're extremely valuable.
Shough and Johnson have strong chemistry, and Shough's ball placement allows Johnson to quickly get upfield and run. Their chemistry should allow that trait to once again flourish and also keep Johnson involved in the offense, even if he isn't the second option anymore.
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