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The Washington Commanders need to surround quarterback Jayden Daniels with players he can grow with — something they’ll have every chance to do with an estimated $101.5 million in salary cap space available in 2025.
Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder thinks one of those players should be New Orleans Saints tight end and impending free agent Juwan Johnson.
Johnson is in the final season of a 2-year, $12 million contract extension he signed in March 2023.
“Washington might be in the market for a veteran tight end this spring since Zach Ertz and John Bates are on expiring deals,” Holder wrote on December 16. “While Johnson has only had one season with more than 400 receiving yards — 508 in 2022 — he does exactly what you’d want from a big-bodied pass-catcher; move the chains and put the ball in the end zone. Of the 28-year-old’s (he turns 29 in September) 130 career receptions heading into this weekend, 18 have been touchdowns and 81 have gone for first downs. That’d be a good security blanket for Jayden Daniels.”
Despite offseason foot surgery in June, Johnson has played all 14 games for the Saints in 2024 with 36 receptions for 375 yards and 3 touchdowns on just 47 targets.
NFL teams can begin signing unrestricted free agents on March 12, 2025.
From Undrafted to Veteran NFL Tight End
Johnson, 6-foot-4 and 231 pounds, wasn’t selected in the 2020 NFL draft despite putting up 111 receptions for 1,560 yards and 6 touchdowns over 4 college seasons — 3 at Penn State and a final season at Oregon.
“(Johnson) has a big, strong frame, is decent when tasked with catching through contact and is a willing, effective blocker in space,” NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in 2020. “Piece it all together and a transition to matchup tight end makes sense. Pass-catchers won’t make a team if quarterbacks don’t trust them, so the hands must improve for him to stick around.”
Johnson made the Saints as an undrafted free agent and made 6 starts over his first 2 seasons before blossoming into a full-time starter in 2022 with 42 receptions for 508 yards and 7 touchdowns.
The Commanders might be able to get a bargain on Johnson if the demand for tight ends isn’t too great — something along the lines of a 1-year, $5 million contract.
Ertz Has Been Pleasant Surprise for Commanders
One big reason not to expect the Commander to spend big on a tight end in the near future is the success they’ve had in 2024 by bringing in veteran Ertz on a 1-year, $3 million contract.
Ertz, 34 years old, is a 3-time Pro Bowler and former Super Bowl champion who seemed like his best days were behind him but has seen his career come back to life with the Commanders and catching passes from Daniels.
Ertz is second on the Commanders in receiving behind wide receiver Terry McLaurin with 54 receptions for 526 yards and 4 touchdowns.
One option for the Commanders would also be to try and sign Ertz to another 1-year contract— with a slight raise — and use a big chunk of that salary cap space to go out and get an elite wide receiver in free agency, like Cincinnati Bengals star Tee Higgins.