Getty C.J. Gardner-Johnson celebrates a big play in 2022.
The Detroit Lions will come into 2023 offseason with money to spend and positions that need major upgrades. Fortunately for them, some of their weaker spots are strong in free agency.
Detroit’s defensive backfield needs to see some major reconstruction, and one spot they could choose to upgrade is safety. There are some quality free agents set to hit the market in the coming days including Jessie Bates, but an NFC East star might have his best fit in the Motor City.
In a piece at The Draft Network, Justin Melo took a look at naming some of the best fits for safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. One answer was Detroit, a place that needs major help on one side of the ball
As Melo explained, the Lions have plenty of big needs on defense, and a player like Gardner-Johnson could help to solve them in a major way on the back end.
“The Lions require multiple defensive upgrades this offseason. Their 30th-ranked passing defense allowed 245.8 passing yards per contest. General manager Brad Holmes must add proven cornerbacks and safeties to their defensive backfield. Holmes possesses nearly $25 million in financial flexibility ahead of free agency. A ball-hawking safety like Gardner-Johnson should be near the top of Holmes’ wishlist,” Melo wrote in the piece.
Betting that the Lions make major upgrades on the back end isn’t a wrong assumption at this point in time. Detroit finished 30th in pass defense, allowing 26 touchdowns and over 245 yards per-game on average. Worse, they allowed a total of 4,179 yards through the air. That points to a group that simply didn’t get much going all season long and could need outside help.
Already, it sounds as if Gardner-Johnson could cash in. ESPN insider Adam Schefter predicts he is one of a trio of Philadelphia players that will earn big-time deals on the open market.
Whether Gardner-Johnson lands in Detroit is anyone’s guess, but there’s another good reason he could be a fit.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson Could Offer Lions Familiarity
Another advantage to the team picking up Gardner-Johnson? He already has a built-in connection with the staff given his knowledge of the head coach from a previous stop.
Melo pointed out in the piece that Gardner-Johnson was drafted in New Orleans when Dan Campbell was in town. That could mean the Lions know what he brings to the table better than most at this point in the process.
“It’s also worth acknowledging that Lions head coach Dan Campbell served as the Saints’ associate head coach when New Orleans drafted Gardner-Johnson with a fourth-round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. Campbell knows Gardner-Johnson as well as any coach in the league. The culture fit in Detroit is an excellent one for Gardner-Johnson. The Lions are mere pieces away from legitimate postseason contention,” Melo wrote in the piece.
Additionally, it’s fair to remember in terms of Gardner-Johnson that his position coach in New Orleans was Aaron Glenn, Detroit’s defensive coordinator. Assuming the two got along, there could be a natural fit in Detroit in the days ahead.
For need and fit reasons, Gardner-Johnson could certainly be a name to watch in the coming days for Detroit.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s Career Stats & Highlights
In terms of players with a tie to Detroit’s staff, Gardner-Johnson takes the title of an impending free agent that the Lions might take a strong look at for their backfield.
Working with Aaron Glenn in New Orleans who was his defensive back coach, Gardner-Johnson put up five interceptions and three sacks, and was a stable force. With the Lions perhaps in need of defensive backs, Gardner-Johnson could be a familiar name to help the team over the hump.
In his career, Gardner-Johnson has posted 228 tackles and 11 interceptions. He was a standout in New Orleans until a 2022 trade that sent him to New Orleans in exchange for a fifth and sixth-round pick in 2024.
Highlights show a hard hitting player who can cover a lot of ground on the back end, something Detroit was missing in 2022.
Gardner-Johnson is a player that is gritty in the backfield and could have an understanding of the scheme the Lions are running under Glenn. To that end, he could be a good choice for the Lions, who are looking for a young player to build around at the spot.
In the end, his prior connection with a few Detroit power brokers might only make him more popular.