Lions Defensive Star Carted Off The Field At Monday Practice
The Detroit Lions could be without one of their defensive stars for the foreseeable future.
Defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson was carted off the practice field Monday after suffering a non-contact knee injury, per Lions senior writer Tim Twentyman.
The 25-year-old Gardner-Johnson is entering his fifth NFL season and his first with Detroit.
The Injury
The severity of the injury will remain unknown until further testing can be completed.
Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker was asked about the incident while talking to the media following practice.
"I don't know what happened, so I don't want to speculate on what happened," said Decker. "That is unfortunately, part of our game."
Decker also mentioned how much value Gardner-Johnson brings not only to the defensive backs but to the team as a whole.
Coming Off Career-Highs
Gardner-Johnson played 546 snaps during his rookie season with the New Orleans Saints. That year he finished with one interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery on 51 targets.
During the 2020 campaign, the former Florida Gator played a career-high 861 defensive snaps. He was targeted 94 times and only allowed a completion percentage of 57.4%.
Following another solid season with the Saints in 2021, the team traded Gardner-Johnson to the Philadelphia Eagles.
In one season with the Eagles, Gardner-Johnson had career-best numbers with a league-leading six interceptions and 61 solo tackles.
The Lions signed the Florida native in March as part of a new-look defense.
Lions Looking For A Successful 2023
The Detroit Lions are viewed as heavy favorites in an NFC North with plenty of change.
The team is coming off their first winning season since 2017 and their first post-Matthew Stafford.
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