CJGJ may not be back for the Eagles’ season-finale Sunday, but the Birds have opened the 21-day practice windows for safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, defensive end Robert Quinn, and offensive lineman Brett Toth.
Gardner-Johnson suffered a lacerated kidney against the Packers on Nov. 27 and has been on injured Reserve since Dec. 3, and the Eagles have gone 3-2 in his absence after starting 10-1.
The 25-year-old was acquired from New Orleans in the offseason and led the NFL with six interceptions when he is sidelined (a mark since tied by three others), and while he may not be back this week, his practice window activation is a good sign for his availability for the playoffs.
“Chauncey, as far as what he's been able to do, again, you have to rest that (injury),” head coach Nick Sirianni said on Monday. “That's not something that you can be there and do a lot with. But with these last two weeks, he has been able to ramp it up. When it is time for him to go, he'll be ready to go physically, not just the injury healed I'm saying, but physically be ready to go. So, he's worked really hard at that the last couple weeks, but he did have to take it easy early on because that was part of the healing process for him.”
Gardner-Johnson’s return will upgrade the secondary, but the question is where. Nickel Avonte Maddox is dealing with a toe injury and is out indefinitely, so the Birds could choose to leave Reed Blankenship at safety and let Gardner-Johnson, a former corner in New Orleans, play the nickel instead of backup Josiah Scott.
“When Chauncey is ready to get back and play, we'll evaluate who's up and who's down and what our guys can do and try to set up the game plan and put our guys in the best spots to play winning football for us,” defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon said. “That's one of the reasons we like versatile players, because the more you can do typically the better. We have a very versatile room, and we'll make that decision as we get going."
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The same goes for Quinn, who joined the Eagles in a mid-season deal, as he could replace Josh Sweat, whose status is TBD after he suffered a neck injury early in last week’s loss to New Orleans, as part of the defensive end rotation.
Toth has been on the PUP list all season after having ACL surgery in January, but his return could also boost a unit that has been rock solid all year; Lane Johnson will try to play through a torn adductor in the playoffs, and his replacement at right tackle, Jack Driscoll, struggled mightily on Sunday.
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