Saints’ Juwan Johnson suffers worrisome injury during training camp

The New Orleans Saints face a potentially tricky situation as depth at the tight end position dwindles, with Juwan Johnson suffering another setback during Wednesday's training camp practice. Johnson, who signed a three-year, $30 million extension this offseason, left the session with a groin injury later reported as not serious. He's expected to miss only a few days.

The schedule works slightly in his favor. The Saints held one final padded practice on Thursday before a team day off on Friday. If Johnson responds well to treatment, he could return to the field as early as Saturday. Still, the tight end unit was depleted, and even a short absence further raises concerns.

Both Foster Moreau and Taysom Hill remain on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, and veteran Treyton Welch also left Wednesday's practice with an unspecified issue. That left the team with only four tight ends available: Jack Stoll, Seth Green, Michael Jacobson, and Moliki Matavao — all fighting for a roster spot. Stoll made the most of his opportunity, catching several passes from Jake Haener during team drills.

Head coach Kellen Moore acknowledged the injuries but downplayed their severity.

“Nothing overly concerning. Those guys will take care of business, and we'll probably communicate (Thursday) if there's anything that will last beyond a day or so.” he said after practice, “Sometimes you just have to adjust some scripts if you don't have the bodies there, you just play in a little bit of a different personnel group,” he explained.

Johnson is expected to be a key piece in Moore's offense once fully healthy. Over the last five seasons, tight ends in Moore's systems have consistently ranked among the most targeted in the league. After a 2024 campaign with 50 receptions, Johnson is projected to be a central figure in the Saints' passing game — if he can stay healthy heading into Week 1.