The Saints placed Johnson (foot) on the active/PUP list Thursday, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports. Johnson remains sidelined while recovering from foot surgery relating to an issue he seemingly suffered during June minicamp. Terrell reports that updates on Johnson's recovery have been positive, but that he's expected to begin camp by working off to the side. Once cleared to practice Johnson will be eligible to come off the PUP list at any point during camp or the preseason, but it remains to be seen whether he'll be ready for Week 1. Foster Moreau and Taysom Hill figure to handle more first-team reps while Johnson is away from the practice field, while Jesper Horsted, Tommy Hudson, Michael Jacobson and Dallin Holker could also benefit from increased opportunities.
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The Saints placed Johnson (foot) on the active/PUP list Thursday, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports. Johnson remains sidelined while recovering from foot surgery relating to an issue he seemingly suffered during June minicamp. Terrell reports that updates on Johnson's recovery have been positive, but that he's expected to begin camp by working off to the side. Once cleared to practice Johnson will be eligible to come off the PUP list at any point during camp or the preseason, but it remains to be seen whether he'll be ready for Week 1. Foster Moreau and Taysom Hill figure to handle more first-team reps while Johnson is away from the practice field, while Jesper Horsted, Tommy Hudson, Michael Jacobson and Dallin Holker could also benefit from increased opportunities.
Johnson will have foot surgery next week and be out for a while, but he has a chance to be ready for the start of the season, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Johnson seemingly suffered the injury during June minicamp and now figures to miss most or all of training camp and the preseason. His upcoming absence will leave more first-team reps for Foster Moreau and Taysom Hill, neither of whom is a clean fit for Johnson's role as the passing-down tight end. Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports that the Saints are working out TE Sal Cannella, who starred in the UFL this spring and led the league's tight ends in yards (496) and touchdowns (six).
Johnson recently suffered a lower leg injury and is expected to miss "a good amount of time," Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports. Details on the injury haven't been reported, with Underhill only noting that he hasn't heard that the injury will impact Johnson's availability for the start of the regular season. It sounds like Johnson may not be ready for the start of training camp, in which case Foster Moreau and Taysom Hill likely would get more snaps with the first-team offense. A calf injury cost Johnson four games last season, and he generally had a quiet year until exploding over the final four weeks for 216 yards and three touchdowns on 24 targets. Prior to that, he had 152 yards and one TD in nine games.
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.
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.
Johnson has missed the Saints' last four games after suffering the calf injury during pregame warmups ahead of the team's Week 4 loss to the Buccaneers. While he's been sidelined, the Saints have rotated Foster Moreau, Taysom Hill and Jimmy Graham at tight end, but Johnson will most likely settle in atop the depth chart once healthy. Considering Johnson hasn't practiced in any capacity since suffering the injury, the Saints may want to see him turn in a full session or two before clearing him to play at Indianapolis.