Detroit Lions defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson suffered a non-contact knee injury during training camp on Monday and had to be carted off the field, according to multiple reports. Gardner-Johnson, who signed with the Lions this offseason after spending the 2022 campaign with the Philadelphia Eagles, was “visibly upset” following the injury, reports Tim Twentyman of the Lions’ team site. Here’s the latest on the veteran defender.
1 p.m. ET update: Thankfully, Gardner-Johnson’s injury is not considered serious, per NFL Network. His MRI revealed no structural damage and he is considered day-to-day, according to ESPN.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson Injury Update
Gardner-Johnson injured his right knee and was evaluated by medical staff for several minutes before being taken off the field. Jared Goff and several other Lions teammates reportedly comforted Gardner-Johnson before he was carted away.
After signing a one-year, $8 million deal this offseason, Gardner-Johnson was expected to serve as a versatile contributor to a rebuilt Detroit secondary. While he spent most of his time with the Eagles as a safety, he was scheduled to line up as the Lions’ primary slot cornerback in 2023.
“Look, he’s got contagious energy,” head coach Dan Campbell said of CJGJ in June. “As long as it’s not affecting your job and you stay focused on the job at hand — one of the reasons C.J. is that way is because that’s how he gets his engine going. In turn, that just spills out into the offense or your teammates. You can’t help — the level of intensity, it raises. I think that makes everybody around you better. And more competitive.”
If Gardner-Johnson will be sidelined for a significant period of time, all eyes will turn to rookie defensive back Brian Branch. One of the Lions’ two second-round picks, Branch — like Gardner-Johnson — is capable of playing safety and in the slot. The Alabama product could be forced into Detroit’s starting lineup as a nickel defender, depending on the severity of Gardner-Johnson’s injury.
Gardner-Johnson isn’t the only Lions DB dealing with an injury. Corner Emmanuel Moseley — another offseason addition — will start training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list as he continues to recover from a torn ACL, as Campbell announced this week.