Saints TE Juwan Johnson Talks Sean Payton, Broncos Ahead of Free Agency

Veteran tight end Juwan Johnson is about to hit the open free-agent market. Barring a last-minute extension from the New Orleans Saints, Johnson can begin negotiating with teams on Monday, March 10 — when the NFL's 'legal tampering window' opens.

The Denver Broncos have been heavily linked to Johnson this offseason, not just because of his history as a Sean Payton draft pick in New Orleans, but because of the team's mandate to find a 'joker' and build the nest around second-year quarterback Bo Nix. Recently, Johnson spoke about what it was like playing for Payton for two seasons in the Bayou.

“It was great,’’ Johnson said from the NFL Honors red carpet via 9NEWS last month. “He’s a coach that was very intentional. He was a coach that was very hard on you. As you see with videos of him and Russell. But that’s just how he is between the lines. Outside the lines he’s very personable and all that. In the lines, you’re going to get an intense coach who wants the best for you and try to get the best out of his players.”

Johnson is speaking to the sideline tongue-lashing Russell Wilson received from Payton during an ugly game in Detroit in 2023. That's ancient history, but even this past season, Payton could be seen giving Nix the business as he walked off the field in one game, only to have the rookie fire back in a heated exchange.

Payton will be blunt and direct about his demands for players. Most players appreciate always knowing where they stand with a coach like Payton, but it can be hard to see the value in it when that diatribe is aimed at you and maybe the TV cameras are on.

Johnson is seeking a new NFL home where he feels "wanted and valued." The Broncos are expected to target him.

“I just want to be somewhere where I’m wanted and valued and that’s my biggest thing,’’ Johnson said told 9NEWS. “If it happens to be Denver, then it will be Denver. If it’s somewhere else, then it's somewhere else.”

In other words, like the fictitious Rod Tidwell said in the motion picture Jerry Maguire, Johnson is looking for someone to show him the money. The Broncos need massive tight end upgrades, and even though the team is expected to dip into the 2025 draft pool, the odds of a rookie stepping in right away and being that upgrade are slim.

The Broncos will likely sign a free-agent tight end who can be plugged in right away to help Nix out while a rookie draft pick (or two) is developed behind him. Johnson caught 50 passes for 548 yards and three touchdowns last year amid some quarterback instability in New Orleans after Derek Carr got hurt.

Johnson can be a sharp red-zone weapon, as evidenced by his seven touchdowns on just 42 receptions in 2022. He only has 34 career starts under his belt but he's notched 18 touchdowns through five seasons.

As the coach who drafted him, it's safe to assume that Payton already has a vision for Johnson. It's just a matter of it making sense financially. Johnson might be entering just his sixth NFL season, but he's turning 29 in September, so a two-year deal seems likely wherever he lands — maybe three.

Spotrac has Johnson's market value at $10 million per year. A team like the Broncos could live with paying a tight end that much on a two-year deal, so long as he's offering top-10 production.