NEW ORLEANS - New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson said he hasn't gotten to know new coach Kellen Moore yet.
Moore's relationship with Johnson and most Saints players likely won't form until the offseason training program begins on April 7, when more players return to the building ahead of OTAs
But Moore has already made an impact on at least one player in free agency. Johnson was a pending free agent with interest from both the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks, but a phone call with Moore convinced him to stay in New Orleans.
Johnson said he was having trouble sleeping during free agency while deciding what to do. He gave Moore a call close to midnight one night, asking why they wanted him back.
"We got on the phone and we talked it out. ... I'm deciding where to put my family for the next three years. And so I really had to just understand where we wanted to go," Johnson said. "Something in my heart was telling me, man, I got to stay in New Orleans, but if I stay in New Orleans it's got to make sense."
They had a candid conversation for about 20 minutes. Johnson said Moore didn't try to lie to him or "sell him a dream," which he appreciated. Johnson said even Moore picking up the phone that late spoke volumes.
"It meant a lot ... it's not really much of what he said, it's the actions because people can say a lot of things. ... It's not about what we say, it's about what we do," Johnson said.
Keeping Johnson or adding a tight end was an offseason priority for the Saints, whose other tight ends, Foster Moreau and Taysom Hill, had late season knee injuries. It's one of the boxes they've checked off in the five weeks since Moore's hiring. They also re-signed defensive end Chase Young and worked out pay cuts for veteran defensive end Cameron Jordan and safety Tyrann Mathieu, as well as defensive lineman Nathan Shepherd and wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr.
Because the Saints didn't have much roster turnover in the first waves of free agency, they still have work to do in the later stages of the signing period and the 2025 draft, where they hold nine picks. That will be where Moore's influence might truly be felt as the Saints try to shape what kind of team they want to be over the next few years.
New Orleans also hired its coaching staff, reworked contracts to get salary cap compliant for 2025 and acquired new players like defensive tackle Davon Godchaux and safety Justin Reid.
"Whatever they need me to play, I can play," said Godchaux, who was acquired in a trade with the New England Patriots. "I'm a versatile player and I'm excited to bring it. ... The more you can do, the better you can be in this league, and I kind of take my pride on that, being a versatile guy."
Those signings are expected to help a defense that ranked 30th in running yards allowed per game (141.4) in 2024, and adding Godchaux could represent a transition to a 3-4 defense under new coordinator Brandon Staley.
"Runs a 3-4 defense but he mixes things up. I love that," Reid said. "Not everything is always the same thing over and over. He allows guys to be versatile and I see myself as a versatile player that can play in a lot of different positions and cause some problems for offense."
Jordan lowered his salary by about $6.4 million in HIS reworked deal, with up to $4 million available in incentives for playtime and sacks, cutting his 2025 cap number from about $20 million to $9.7 million. Mathieu lowered his salary cap number from $11.3 million to $6 million in his new deal based on incentives.
Jordan, who will be 36 when the season begins, will return for a 15th season as he enters the final year of his contract. He said on his podcast "Off the Edge with Cam Jordan," that he "ranted a bit" and briefly considered his options after his agent called him about a potential pay cut. Jordan had expressed unhappiness about his usage and playing time under former coach Dennis Allen, who was fired in November, and defensive line coach Todd Grantham in the first half of last season.
Grantham left the staff shortly after Allen was fired and former special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi was promoted to interim head coach last fall. Coach Bo Davis was hired away from LSU to coach the Saints' defensive line in 2025.
"I was like, look, I'm still under contract. This is where I should be. My contract says I've got another year on it, so unless they cut me, I'm not leaving," Jordan told his agent. "After talking about it, I was like, look, I want to win. ... At the end of the day, this is where I want to be. I've always said I want to win a Super Bowl in the black and gold."
By keeping Jordan, Mathieu, 32, and linebacker Demario Davis, 36, the Saints will keep the heart of an aging defense intact. The Saints didn't make huge changes on that side of the ball in free agency aside from the departure of cornerback Paulson Adebo, who signed with the New York Giants.
Adebo was the Saints outside starting cornerback next to Marshon Lattimore, who was traded to the Washington Commanders in November. That paves the way for Alontae Taylor and Kool-Aid McKinstry to become their cornerbacks of the future.
There are several ways the Saints could go in the draft -- whether it's adding successors for Mathieu, Davis and Jordan or another cornerback. Pro Bowl cornerback Charvarius Ward said in an interview with 107.5 The Fan that the Saints made a strong play to sign him in free agency before he ended up with the Indianapolis Colts.
They could also try to add another skill player after losing wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the Seahawks in free agency. The team also needs a starting guard after playing multiple players on the left side last year.
A quarterback of the future could be another possibility after quarterback Derek Carr entered the offseason with long-term questions. A source told ESPN that Carr was open to looking elsewhere before the Saints restructured his contract, guaranteeing him $40 million in cash this year and tying him to New Orleans for another season.
"We just talked about our, obviously confidence in this situation, and the ability for him to have success here," Moore said of the conversations with Carr. "I think we got a great group here from the players, the coaching staff, to the environment that we're going to be able to create for him. Felt really, really good and comfortable with what we're going to be able to provide"