Lions make a major splash in free agency with latest signing
The Detroit Lions signed one of football’s most-improved players from the 2022 season.
The Detroit Lions made a major splash in the free agency pool on Sunday night.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports the Lions are signing safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to a one-year deal worth $8 million. Gardner-Johnson’s new contract reportedly includes a nifty $6.5 million in guarantees.
It’s a surprisingly cheap deal for one of football’s improved players from just a season ago.
In 2022, Gardner-Johnson finished tied atop the NFL’s leaders with six interceptions. What makes that number even more impressive is the fact that he was able to do it in just 12 games after suffering a lacerated kidney in late-November. He was able to make his return for the Eagles’ Super Bowl run.
Gardner-Johnson, 25, is set to enter his fifth season in the NFL. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints out of the University of Florida in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
The Saints traded Gardner-Johnson to the Philadelphia Eagles last offseason, where he helped turn Philly’s defense into the scariest unit in all of football.
Gardner-Johnson brings versatility into Detroit’s secondary. To go along with his tremendous ball skills, Gardner-Johnson can also hold his own in coverage. His hard-nosed approach to the safety position is a perfect match for defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn’s scheme.
