Inside the Article:
We have some very unfortunate news to pass along this morning as Detroit Lions defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson has reportedly been carted off the field at training camp after suffering what appears to be a knee injury.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson carted off field after suffering injury
According to Tim Twentyman, Gardner-Johnson “went down with a right leg injury Monday & was carted off the field. He was visibly upset and team captains Buggs and Goff made it a point to go comfort him. Hoping for better news than it looked.”
Tom Pelissero noted that “a source described it as a non-contact knee injury” for Gardner-Johnson.
UPDATE: Ben Raven of MLive, who was standing 5-feet from the play, says this should not be classified as a “non-contact” injury.
Why it Matters
We have no further information on Gardner-Johnson's injury at this time, but if he has to miss any time at all during the 2023 regular season, it would be a huge blow to the Lions' defense. Gardner-Johnson is arguably the Lions' biggest off-season signing, and he was expected to come in and help bolster the secondary.
Key Points
- C.J. Gardner-Johnson, a prominent defensive back for the Detroit Lions, was reportedly carted off the training camp field following a seemingly serious knee injury.
- The extent of Gardner-Johnson's injury is currently unknown. However, his potential absence during the 2023 regular season could be detrimental to the Lions' defense, considering he is arguably their most significant off-season signing intended to bolster the secondary.
- The Lions' management, particularly General Manager Brad Holmes, had prioritized strengthening the team's secondary during the off-season. Holmes had executed this by signing Gardner-Johnson, among others, who is young and had an impressive past season with the Eagles.
Bottom Line: Fingers Crossed
Entering the offseason, it was indisputable that Lions GM Brad Holmes had to focus on enhancing the Lions' secondary, and he rose to the occasion by signing a trio of defensive backs. Gardner-Johnson, who is notably young and recently had a robust season with the Eagles, intercepting six passes, was slated to be one of the key enhancements. With that being said, all we can do now is hope and pray that CJGJ did not suffer a major injury and that this is just something minor.
