Juwan Johnson TE NO (11) Fri 12/8/23 3:56 PM
Juwan Johnson
TE NO (11)
Johnson (quadriceps) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against Carolina, Matthew Paras of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.
EDGE Analysis
Johnson was a limited practice participant Wednesday through Friday, suggesting he's relatively healthy compared to the Saints' other main pass catchers. In addition to Michael Thomas (knee) still being on injured reserve, the team has WR Chris Olave (illness), WR Rashid Shaheed (thigh) and TE Taysom Hill (foot/hand) all listed as questionable after closing out the week with either two or three consecutive missed practices. Of the bunch, Johnson and Olave seemingly have the best odds to play, though it could come down to a game-time decision in both cases ahead of the Saints' 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff Sunday.
Juwan Johnson TE NO (11) Thu 12/7/23 3:44 PM
Juwan Johnson
TE NO (11)
Johnson (quadricep) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice.
EDGE Analysis
Johnson matched his level of practice participation from Wednesday, so he may need to upgrade to full activity Friday to avoid carrying an injury designation into Sunday's game versus the Panthers. If Johnson isn't able to play through the injury this weekend, the Saints would likely turn to a committee of Taysom Hill, Foster Moreau and Jimmy Graham to fill snaps at tight end.
Juwan Johnson TE NO (11) Wed 12/6/23 4:15 PM
Juwan Johnson
TE NO (11)
Johnson practiced in a limited fashion Wednesday due to a quadriceps injury, John Hendrix of SI.com reports.
EDGE Analysis
Johnson previously sat out Weeks 4 through 7 due to a calf issue, but it's unclear if the current health concern may impact his availability for Sunday's game against the Panthers. His snap share, when available, has been fairly consistent, ranging from 57 to 81 percent, but he's managed only an 18-142-1 line on 32 targets in his eight appearances this season.
Juwan Johnson TE NO (11) Sun 12/3/23 10:39 PM
Juwan Johnson
TE NO (11)
Johnson failed to haul in any of his three targets during Sunday's 33-28 defeat against Detroit.
EDGE Analysis
Johnson failed to log a reception for the first time this season. The 27-year-old also made a pivotal mistake on the Saints' first offensive play of the game when he failed to secure a short pass while running across the middle of the field. This resulted in the ball popping up in the air and allowed Lions safety Brian Branch to make a diving interception. The Saints went on to fall behind 21-0 late in the first quarter, and Johnson did not record a target after early in the second quarter. Johnson still logged more targets than fellow tight ends Foster Moreau (two) and Jimmy Graham (one), though those two combined for three receptions and a touchdown. Johnson's performance is especially disappointing considering that the Saints were without two of their top three wideouts with Rashid Shaheed (thigh) inactive and Michael Thomas (knee) on IR. Across eight games this season, the 6-foot-4 tight end has recorded 18 receptions (on 29 targets) for 142 yards and just one touchdown. He'll look to play an all-around better game this coming Sunday against the Panthers.
Juwan Johnson TE NO (11) Sun 11/26/23 5:43 PM 1 Comment
Juwan Johnson
TE NO (11)
Johnson caught four of seven targets for 45 yards during Sunday's 24-15 defeat to the Falcons.
EDGE Analysis
Johnson logged the Saints' second-most targets behind No. 1 wideout Chris Olave (nine), even though the latter was forced out during the third quarter with a concussion and did not return for the remainder of the game. Wideout Rashid Shaheed also sustained a thigh injury that forced him to exit during the second quarter. With Michael Thomas (knee) on injured reserve, it appears that the 6-foot-3 tight end was the next-best option in New Orleans' pass-catching depth chart. Johnson also recorded season highs in both targets and receiving yards, though he still finished with fewer receiving yards than Olave (114), versatile tight end Taysom Hill (55) and running back Alvin Kamara (50). Should Olave and Shaheed miss time as a result of their injuries, then Johnson's production could benefit moving forward.
Juwan Johnson TE NO (11) Sun 11/5/23 5:45 PM
Juwan Johnson
TE NO (11)
Johnson caught all five of his targets for 29 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 24-17 win over the Bears.
EDGE Analysis
Johnson caught a three-yard touchdown pass thrown by Taysom Hill. The touchdown was Johnson's first of the season and gave the Saints a 24-17 lead with 11:05 to play. Neither team scored again, so it held up as the game-winning score. Johnson hasn't reached 40 receiving yards in any of his five appearances this season, but he scored seven touchdowns in 2022 and will look to get back into the end zone in Week 10 against the Vikings.
Juwan Johnson TE NO (11) Mon 10/30/23 10:15 PM
Juwan Johnson
TE NO (11)
Johnson caught one of two targets for five yards during Sunday's 38-27 win versus the Colts.
EDGE Analysis
Johnson played a season-low 61 percent of New Orleans' offense snaps in his first game back after missing four straight with a calf injury. The 27-year-old was not fully cleared until Friday's injury report, so it's likely that the team did not want to use him quite as the first three games of the season when he played at least 70 percent of offense snaps in each contest. Johnson also saw slightly less playing time than fellow tight end Foster Moreau, who did not see a target Sunday. Johnson will look to record more than three catches for the first time this season when New Orleans takes on Chicago in Week 9.
Juwan Johnson TE NO (11) Fri 10/27/23 4:10 PM
Juwan Johnson
TE NO (11)
Johnson (calf) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game at Indianapolis.
EDGE Analysis
Johnson is cleared to return from a four-game absence after upgrading to full practice participation Friday. He'll likely return his role as the Saints' top pass-caching tight end, a job that had largely been filled by Taysom Hill (chest) in recent weeks.
Juwan Johnson TE NO (11) Thu 10/26/23 4:20 PM
Juwan Johnson
TE NO (11)
Johnson (calf) practiced on a limited basis Thursday.
EDGE Analysis
Johnson has missed the last four games due to a lingering calf injury, but he now has strung together back-to-back capped sessions to begin Week 8 prep. There's an expectation from coach Dennis Allen that Johnson will return Sunday at Indianapolis, per Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com. That said, Johnson may have to log a full practice Friday in order to avoid a designation for that contest. Fellow TE options Taysom Hill (chest) and Jimmy Graham (illness) also were limited Thursday, leaving the position in some flux for the Saints.
Juwan Johnson TE NO (11) Wed 10/25/23 4:28 PM
Juwan Johnson
TE NO (11)
Johnson (calf) was a limited practice participant Wednesday, John Hendrix of SI.com reports.
EDGE Analysis
Coach Dennis Allen said Monday that he hoped to have Johnson back in the lineup this Sunday against the Colts. The tight end has now taken a tangible step forward after missing four games and three weeks of practice, though his availability may remain in doubt if he can't progress to full participation by the end of the week. Taysom Hill (chest) took on the largest pass-catching role of his career the past two games but likely will fall back toward a couple targets per week once Johnson returns.