The New Orleans Saints have gotten off to an abysmally slow start this season, sitting at 0-4, but that is not a surprise, given that this is a rebuilding year. The Saints lack the talent to compete with the top teams in the league, and they will struggle to win any games. However, they have a good opportunity to win this week, as they host the 1-3 New York Giants.
For the Saints to win, they will need their top playmakers to be available. One player who has gotten off to a fast start this year is tight end Juwan Johnson. He leads the team in receiving yards and is second in receptions. But an ankle injury suffered in Week 4 could hold him out.
What Is Juwan Johnson’s Status for Week 5?
Johnson suffered an ankle injury in the Saints’ Week 4 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Although he left the game to get it evaluated, he later returned. Still, Johnson did not practice on Wednesday, and the team has not yet provided an update on his availability for Sunday’s matchup.
The Saints tight end was a limited participant in practice on Thursday, and could potentially play in Week 5.
According to Jeff Nowak, Johnson suffered the ankle injury on a reception early in the game. You could tell by how he landed that something did not look right, and that is where he injured his ankle.
Johnson has been one of the most reliable players on the Saints so far this season. He has played 94% of the offensive snaps, leading to him being ranked as the 52nd-best tight end in the NFL this season based on PFN’s Tight End Impact metric. For an offense that lacks talent, Johnson has been one of the bright spots.
Saints Hoping to Avoid All-Time Bad Season
Throughout their history, the Saints have never had a season with zero wins. The worst season the team has had was a 1-15 record in 1980. It is hard to imagine the Saints going winless this season. Under new head coach Kellen Moore, the team has been relatively competitive in their first four games.
Three of their four losses have come by seven, five, and 12 points. The only game in which they were blown out was against the Seattle Seahawks, 44-13. If the team remains competitive, it will eventually win a game. But there is no doubt their odds will improve drastically if they can stay healthy.
