One and done in the Motor City? That could very well be the case for C.J. Gardner-Johnson. The veteran defensive back came over to Detroit on a one-year deal last offseason, and brought along with him big-time expectations. Prior to joining the Lions, he spent three seasons with the New Orleans Saints (2019-2021) and a lone campaign with the Philadelphia Eagles (2022).
Gardner-Johnson produced a career-best season with the Eagles, recording career-high marks in both total tackles (67) and interceptions (six) in just 12 regular season games. He also played a pivotal role in Philadelphia’s run to Super Bowl 57.
However, the trash-talking, 26-year-old defensive back failed to replicate that kind of production in the Motor City. He never truly got his 2023 season off the ground, as he tore his pectoral muscle in Week 2 against the Seahawks and played in just one more regular season contest after that (Week 18). Subsequently, his ‘23 campaign became more known for his verbal dust-ups with opposing players and him filing paperwork to change his name to “Ceedy Duce” than his production on the field.
Then, to add insult to injury, he ended his season on a negative note, with a porous performance against the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. He mightily struggled against both the run and the pass in the devastating loss, and couldn’t tackle a soul to save his life. He ended up with a game-high three missed tackles. He also came out on the losing end of his personal battle with San Francisco do-it-all receiver Deebo Samuel, whom he had been engaged in a war of words with since earlier in the season. Gardner-Johnson drew a 15-yard penalty for an illegal blindside block on Samuel after Malcolm Rodriguez’s second-quarter interception. For his efforts in the NFC title game, Gardner-Johnson earned a lowly Pro Football Focus overall grade of 33.9, which was the lowest grade received by any Lions defender against the 49ers.
If that proves to be Ceedy Duce’s last game donning a Honolulu Blue uniform, he undeniably will be remembered for his dismal showing against Samuel & Co. Gardner-Johnson, at his best, though, does bring multiple skills to the table. Throughout his career, he’s proven adept in both coverage and at rushing the passer, and remember, he possesses the ability to line up both at safety and nickel corner. Plus, he brings a ton of swagger to a locker room, as he did with the Lions this past season. It leaves Detroit general manager Brad Holmes with an interesting decision to make regarding the versatile defensive back.
