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The Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans’ trade involving C.J. Gardner-Johnson seemed to be cursed on Thursday. Hours after the safety went down with a knee injury in training camp, the offensive guard Kenyon Green left the Eagles’ preseason game with an apparent wrist injury.
Gardner-Johnson was the first of the two to go down, suffering his injury in the Texans’ Thursday morning practice session. The team initially feared a torn ACL or Achilles injury, but test results ruled out an ACL tear. Houston has yet to confirm the exact nature of his injury or the duration of his absence.
Green’s injury came in the second half of the Eagles’ preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The injury occurred when Green attempted to make a tackle after an interception from quarterback Kyle McCord.
The Eagles traded Gardner-Johnson in March for Green and a 2026 first-round pick. Not only are both players currently dealing with injuries, but they are also feared to potentially be out for the season. Either loss would be detrimental to the respective team, with both players expected to be key starters in 2025. If that is the case for Green, it would be the second time in the last three years that an injury would sideline him for the entire season.
Gardner-Johnson, a 61-game starter who led the league with six interceptions in 2022, is the more prestigious player of the two. He matched that total in 2024, bringing his total to 13 interceptions over his last 29 games. Despite being a key part of Philadelphia’s Super Bowl LIX team, the Eagles traded him early in the offseason, just before selecting Andrew Mukuba in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Green, a 2022 first-round pick, has not lived up to his expectations and thus is not viewed at the same level as Gardner-Johnson. Despite entering the league as an elite prospect, injuries and footwork issues have capped his success. Green has still started 23 of his 27 career games, but has struggled mightily in his two healthy seasons, already giving up nine sacks.
Without knowing the severity of either injury, both seem likely to begin the season on the injury list. Gardner-Johnson’s injury will likely force M.J. Stewart into the starting lineup, particularly with Jimmie Ward’s constant legal issues.
Green’s absence would pave the way for either 2023 third-rounder Tyler Steen or veteran Matt Pryor to start for the Eagles. Rookie Trevor Keegan could also factor in, though he is currently sidelined with a back injury.
The post Both players in Eagles’ C.J. Gardner-Johnson trade with Texans got hurt Thursday appeared first on ClutchPoints.
