Battle Red Blog
During a scrimmage on the last day of camp in White Sulphur Springs, WV, C.J. Gardner-Johnson went to tackle John Metchie on a routine pass play. It would be the last thing that CJGJ would do for the day. He fell to the ground in obvious pain, unable to put any pressure on his lower right leg, and would eventually be carted off the field as the rest of the team looked on silently.
The Houston Texans traded failed offensive line prospect Kenyon Green and some late round draft picks to acquire the safety. This injury exposes what could potentially be a key strength of the defense with Jimmie Ward still out with an injured foot and still facing legal issues stemming from a family violence incident during the offseason. A secondary with Derek Stingley, Kamari Lassiter and other safety Calen Bullock is still among the best even with CJGJ’s absence, but recall last season when Ward’s injury left a hole that was regularly exploited by offenses; so even a prolonged absence by CJGJ could prove to be a significant stumbling block coming out of the gate.
Hopefully, we’ll see CJGJ on the field in Houston at some point this season, but based on reports out of training camp about the severity of the injury, I don’t feel too awful optimistic about that.
