Bills safety C. J. Gardner-Johnson suffered an apparent lower leg injury during Saturday’s training camp practice and was seen leaving on a cart with trainers.
It seems that Gardner-Johnson sustained a non-contact injury to his foot, which is always concerning. Typically, a non-contact injury can indicate something serious, but that may not be the case with Gardner-Johnson.
Dion Dawkins Had a Gardner-Johnson Update
Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins went to check on Gardner-Johnson after his injury, and the star safety told Dawkins that he can walk and will be alright.
“He can walk…he’s alright,” Dawkins said, via 13WHAM’s Dan Fetes. “I got the message from the coaches that he’s alright and they’re going to do their protocol… but CJ is okay.”
The Bills didn’t update Gardner-Johnson’s status as of Saturday morning, but it does sound like, coming from Gardner-Johnson, that he is going to be okay.
Buffalo signed Gardner-Johnson to a one-year, $3.6 million deal this offseason, and he is expected to play a significant role with the Bills. The team needs safety help after last season, and acquiring Gardner-Johnson at a reasonable price, given his experience, was a great move. Gardner-Johnson has been in the NFL for seven seasons, playing for the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans and Chicago Bears.
What sets Gardner-Johnson apart is that he has played for several successful teams throughout his career, including the Eagles, with whom he won a Super Bowl in 2024.
The Bills needed more players with Super Bowl experience, and Gardner-Johnson was coming to bring his knowledge on and off the field with a team that was trying to reach a place he’s been before.
It Was Critical For the Bills to Land Gardner-Johnson This Offseason
Even though Gardner-Johnson has a track record of moving from team to team, it was important for Bills president of football operations Brandon Beane to sign him this offseason.
“I think he understands at this point in his career; he’s not at the end,” Beane said. “He can still play, but he’s got to make sure he keeps it within the lines, and if he can do that, you love that edge,” Beane said on Friday, via Bills.com’s Mike Maynard. “Week 1, we’re going to Houston. That’s going to be a hostile environment, a loud place. You want an edge. You want the ‘It’s us against the world.’ That mentality, and he has that.”
One aspect that has occasionally landed Gardner-Johnson in hot water with teams is his intense edge. While this quality can be a tremendous asset when controlled properly, it has raised some eyebrows. However, Jim Leonhard appreciates what he has observed from Gardner-Johnson in the locker room so far.
“Anytime you have those strong personalities and guys that want to speak out… you just have to get the people around them to understand who they are, where they’re coming from, and then you get buy-in,” Leonhard said. “You don’t always get people who agree with it, but you at least get an understanding of where people come from and the passion that they have, what drives them, what motivates them.”
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