Juwan Johnson back from injury at the perfect time, as Saints express they need him

On Tuesday, the New Orleans Saints got one of their top offensive players back from injury, activating tight end Juwan Johnson off the PUP list. This offseason, Johnson underwent a foot surgery back in June. The procedure sidelined him for most of training camp, but the hope was always that he’d be ready for the regular season. Now, with Johnson back in practice, it looks like that will happen.

While he’s back on the practice field, the veteran tight end isn’t just jumping right into the deep end. Head coach Dennis Allen explained to the media Johnson will go through a ramp-up period. With so much important training camp time missed, the team is going to be smart about bringing him back.

The ultimate goal is for Johnson to be healthy and productive throughout the season, because, as Allen put it, the Saints offense needs Johnson, as the unit is depending on him in the passing game.

Saints activate Juwan Johnson off PUP list

Unfortunately for Johnson and the team, he won’t be able to get the training camp practices that he missed back. With new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak bringing in a new system, those practices were especially important this year. However, Johnson is a veteran player, entering his fifth year; he’ll be able to learn and adapt on the fly.

He has really come into his own as a tight end during the last two seasons. In 2022, Johnson caught 42 passes for 508 yards and seven touchdowns. Last season, he caught 37 passes for 368 yards and four touchdowns. Even going back to his second season in the league, when he only had 13 receptions for 159 yards, he still recorded four touchdowns.

He’s the best receiving tight end in New Orleans, and he’ll definitely play a big role for the offense this season. Once the run game gets rolling, Johnson could emerge as a force in the play-action game. Before that happens, he must remain healthy and get up to speed.

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