As the New Orleans Saints face their typical budget restrictions in free agency, there may be a few veterans that they have the means to keep around if they choose to.
The Saints are an incredible $47 million over the salary cap at the moment, nearly double the debt of any other NFL team. Coming off a 5-12 season, it won't be easy by any means to turn the ship around, but after restructuring other contracts, they should have a few million bucks to play with.
Tight end Juwan Johnson is an interesting reunion candidate. He's not a star by any means, but he's proven to be a serviceable option, putting up a career-high 548 receiving yards this past season despite constantly juggling starting quarterbacks.
Johnson could have other suitors, though, and that may sway him to leave New Orleans even if the Saints want him back. Especially, that is, if he has a chance to go back to playing for the legendary coach he once had during his first two NFL seasons.
On Wednesday, Tom Strachan of FantasyPros predicted that Johnson would sign with the Denver Broncos, thanks to head coach Sean Payton, who formerly served as the best head coach in Saints history from 2006 to 2021.
"Payton simply loves having what he knows around him. The Broncos are searching for a ‘weapon’ at the tight end position, according to Payton," Strachan wrote.
"It would make too much sense to see him reunited with 28-year-old Juwan Johnson. As a former wide receiver, Johnson flashed at times over the last couple of seasons. The Broncos need more pass-catching options and Johnson paired with Bo Nix could be a fun combination."
Payton never coached Johnson as a wide receiver, as a matter of fact. The 28-year-old made his transition to tight end before the 2022 season, just as Payton was embarking on his one-year stint as a television analyst.
Spotrac projects Johnson for a three-year, $30 million contract, which might be slightly outside New Orleans' comfort zone. Denver could match that price comfortably, as they've got nearly $90 million more in wiggle room than the Saints do.
