4 contract decisions that will pay off for the New Orleans Saints

1. Re-signing Juwan Johnson

Undrafted out of Oregon in 2020, Juwan Johnson entered the 2022 campaign with just 17 receptions for 198 yards. He did have four touchdowns in 2021 but not many saw him as the potential No. 1 tight end for the Saints.

That's what ended up happening though as he forced his way into the lineup and made 12 starts in 16 appearances. Johnson finished the year with 42 receptions on 65 targets (64.6 catch percentage) and had seven touchdowns.

He was fairly consistent throughout the year but had a 67-yard and two-touchdown performance in a win over Atlanta in Week 15 and a 62-yard performance in a win over the Eagles in Week 17. He also recorded five of his seven touchdowns after Week 9, showing a lot of development near the end of the year.

New Orleans decided to strike while the iron was hot and signed him to a two-year extension in the offseason. Rather than allowing him to hit the open market, they decided to keep him in town and did so for a total of $12.1 million.

With some of the top receiving tight ends earning that in one year, this deal could turn out to be a major win for Mickey Loomis and the Saints.

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