Last season, the Lions allowed the third most passing yards, the second most yards per pass and the most yards per completion in the NFL. That should change in 2023.
The latest addition to the team's overhauled secondary is former Eagles and Saints safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who has signed a one-year, $8 million deal with Detroit, according to the NFL Network.
Gardner-Johnson, 25, tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions in 12 games last season with the Eagles. He also had eight passes defended and 67 tackles. He missed five games late in the year with a lacerated kidney, but retuned to start all three games in the Eagles' run to the Super Bowl.
Gardner-Johnson will be reuniting with Dan Campbell and Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn in Detroit after playing under both of them for the first two seasons of his career in New Orleans. He brings ball skills and big-game experience to the Lions' secondary, having been a starter on top-10 defenses each of the past three years.
The Lions had already upgraded that secondary with the signings of cornerbacks Cam Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley to kick off free agency. With Gardner-Johnson joining Kerby Joseph and Tracy Walker at safety, what was the weakness of Detroit's defense last season may well be a strength.