Another week brings another adjustment for the Philadelphia Eagles as yet another key player is listed as questionable. This time, it’s starting safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who sustained a foot injury during practice. The Eagles updated their injury report on Friday ahead of their Sunday matchup against the New Orleans Saints, marking Gardner-Johnson as questionable.
“He tweaked something on Thursday,” head coach Nick Sirianni explained, without going into specific details about the injury. The team hoped Gardner-Johnson’s condition might improve by Friday, but he did not practice, leaving his availability for Sunday in serious doubt.
In addition to Gardner-Johnson, wide receiver A.J. Brown has also been ruled out for the second straight week due to a lingering hamstring injury. Brown, who missed last week’s game against the Atlanta Falcons, was initially listed as questionable but later confirmed he would miss multiple games, per his statement on Monday night.
For Gardner-Johnson, Sunday’s game against the Saints holds personal significance. Drafted by New Orleans in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Gardner-Johnson spent his first three seasons with the Saints before being traded to the Eagles. However, he’s been vocal about not considering this game a homecoming, going so far as to say earlier in the week that he felt no love from his former team.
“They got rid of me. I didn’t get rid of them,” Gardner-Johnson stated when asked about facing his old team, underscoring his determination to face off against New Orleans. “So hey, we’ll see y’all Sunday.”
Whether he will actually be able to play remains uncertain. Given the emotional stakes of the game for Gardner-Johnson, it could be a motivating factor in his potential return to the field. Sirianni acknowledged Gardner-Johnson’s fiery nature, stressing the importance of channeling that energy in a productive way.
“My message to him has always been to embrace his emotions,” Sirianni said. “I love his energy, his personality. I want him to be himself out there. I’d be crazy to tell him not to show his emotions because I show mine. He just has to do it within the rules of the game, because people feed off that energy.”
If Gardner-Johnson is ultimately unable to play, the Eagles will need to explore their depth at the safety position, which isn’t particularly deep. Besides Gardner-Johnson, the Eagles have Reed Blankenship and Tristin McCollum as their primary options. This leaves the coaching staff with several possible alternatives for shuffling the secondary.
One option could involve moving Quinyon Mitchell into the slot while shifting Avonte Maddox, who has started both games in the slot, to safety. Maddox has experience in the position, having played safety during training camp. In this scenario, rookie Isaiah Rodgers or Kelee Ringo could fill in for Mitchell at cornerback.
Another possibility is keeping Mitchell at cornerback and moving Maddox to safety while playing rookie Cooper DeJean in the slot. DeJean, however, has had limited experience on defense this season, with just one defensive snap in the previous game. Nevertheless, he has seen significant action on special teams, logging 40 special teams snaps (76 percent) across the first two games. Sirianni expressed confidence in DeJean’s readiness, noting that the rookie has been gaining valuable practice reps and showing improvement.
“He’s really had some good reps with the defense,” Sirianni said. “Our confidence in him is continuing to grow because we know he’s a good football player, and I know he wants to be out there contributing to this team.”
Ultimately, the Eagles face a challenging situation, especially with the prospect of Gardner-Johnson missing a game against his former team. The team’s ability to manage the safety position will be critical as they prepare to face a potent New Orleans Saints offense on Sunday. Whether Gardner-Johnson is able to play or not, the Eagles will need to be adaptable and ready to make adjustments to maintain defensive stability.
