New Detroit Lions safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson is back in practice five days after a frightening injury.
Five days ago, every Detroit Lions fan felt the air rush out of their lungs when C.J. Gardner-Johnson was carted off the practice field in tears. The Lions signed C.J. Gardner-Johnson to revitalize a struggling pass defense. Then, all of a sudden, it felt like another season was down the drain before it even started.
Gardner-Johnson went to the ground after contact to his lower body, which led to speculation about a potentially season-ending knee injury. Now, in a borderline miraculous development, the Lions' defensive back is on the practice field after a mere five-day absence.
He did not participate in team drills on Saturday, but Gardner-Johnson was back in pads and in the DB room for Detroit, according to Kyle Meinke of MLive.
Detroit Lions avoid bad injury news with C.J. Gardner-Johnson
The Lions will collectively breath a sigh of relief with Gardner-Johnson back in the mix and ready to close out training camp. Detroit was a bottom-three pass defense last season; Gardner-Johnson was the starring force behind the Philadelphia Eagles' No. 1-ranked pass defense.
Gardner-Johnson finished last season tied for the most interceptions in the NFL (six) despite only 12 games played. A notoriously vocal leader, the 25-year-old out of Florida is already making an impression on his fellow defenders in Detroit.
"He brings a lot of confidence to that DB room," Lions left tackle Taylor Decker told MLive. "I mean, that guy, he's a talker, and that's what DBs do. He's gonna make those guys around him better and he's a confident player."
The Lions will hope Gardner-Johnson's playmaking talent translates to his new scheme. After playing safety for the Eagles, Gardner-Johnson is expected to start in the slot at cornerback for Detroit. That said, he offers positional flexibility in a backfield that also includes second-year star Kerby Joseph.
The Lions finished last season with the No. 3 scoring offense in the NFL. Jared Goff's resurgence has the offense in a good place. First-round pick Jahmyr Gibbs is expected to add a new dynamic to the run game while Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Marvin Jones Jr. highlight one of the NFL's most explosive receiving corps.
Detroit's ability to surpass last season's result will depend largely on how far the defense progresses. The Lions finished 9-8 and outside the postseason picture despite such a potent offense, which speaks to just how bad the defense was. Gardner-Johnson can't solve every issue, but he addresses the primary area of weakness and he's among the best at his position. If the Lions are going to carve out a postseason berth and a deep run, Gardner-Johnson will play a major role.