After injuring his shoulder injury early in the Lions' loss to the Seahawks and finishing out the game, C.J. Gardner-Johnson said he was fine. Turns out he's not.
Gardner-Johnson, one of Detroit's starting safeties, is feared to have suffered a torn pec and could be out for the season, per the NFL Network. For now, Gardner-Johnson is out indefinitely.
It's a big blow to the Lions' defense. It might be an even bigger blow to Gardner-Johnson, who signed a one-year, $6.5 million deal with the Lions after leading the NFL in picks last season with the hope of proving himself worthy of a long-term deal next offseason. That plan might have just gone up in smoke.
The Lions, meanwhile, lose one of their best ballhawks and one of their best defensive backs against the run. Gardner-Johnson had played almost every defensive snap through two games. He had also become one of the voices raising the standard in Detroit's locker room.
The Lions do have the depth to withstand the loss. Tracy Walker, who briefly filled in for Gardner-Johnson in Sunday's loss to the Seahawks, was Detroit's top safety and defensive co-captain before tearing his Achilles early last season. He has plenty of experience playing in Aaron Glenn's defense and should slide in rather seamlessly.
But he won't bring the same playmaking skills as Gardner-Johnson, who the Lions will certainly miss.