Just when you think Lions GM Brad Holmes is done making moves, he pulls out his bag of tricks. Holmes brought in one of the top free agents this offseason in slot corner C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Everyone could’ve easily connected the dots between Gardner-Johnson and the current coaching making Detroit an easy place to slot the versatile defender as a destination.
After the Lions made move after move to bolster the secondary, though, it seemed the likelihood of Gardner-Johnson landing in Detroit was a pipe dream, especially since most thought he would garner a large contract. Not only does Detroit bring in a defender they can place anywhere in the secondary, but they also got him at a reasonable deal that makes other teams shake their heads.
Gardner-Johnson is familiar with Dan Campbell having crossed paths during their time with the New Orlean Saints, but there is one person on the coaching staff Gardner-Johnson has deep personal roots with, and that would be defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. They have known each other since Gardner-Johnson was in high school and have continued to hold a special relationship through the years.
“It’s like a father-son relationship. When I mess up, even when I wasn’t playing with him, I mess up, and I would text him like, ‘did you see it? Did you not see it?’ Because it was like, don’t want to let somebody down who actually is there to help you.”
Gardner-Johnson continued,
“So, I think the relationship with him just being there helping me get better every day. I remember him telling me by the time I get you again, where I’m going to be at, you’re going to be exactly where I need you to be.’ I think me growing as a player and as a man, understanding like how to get better from Year 1 to Year 4, maturing. I think that’s what really brought me here. Back to my roots, so I can understand like ‘don’t get too up, got to stay grounded and continue to work.”
The days of players being driven away from Detroit are long gone. Instead, players have started to take notice of the culture turnaround and the identity they have established in the league. Now players want to come to him because they know this football team is about to take a corner no one could’ve anticipated.
“I want to play with a young group of guys that’s hungry who showed a lot of grit and fight last year. I was on the other side,” Gardner-Johnson said. “But just watching from the outside looking in, got a lot of great young talent. I played against it in Week 1 last year, obviously. They have an identity already established. It took a couple of years to get it going. But being here and seeing it, front office, I haven’t been around the players yet. But you can see it when you watch it on tape, watch it on TV, watch it on film. I think this place here is somewhere I can call that a home almost. Like, I’m familiar with everybody, comfortable and I’m ready to get going.”
Detroit has put everyone on notice that they mean business. They are bringing in players who want to be part of this turnaround and help the Lions take that giant leap forward. Gardner-Johnson will be part of a strong secondary that takes a leap from one of the worst in the league to one that could be feared every week. With the draft still to go, it is hard not to be excited about what the future holds for the Lions.
Lions and Eagles players share great reactions to Detroit signing C.J. Gardner-Johnson
