The Detroit Lions get two important pieces of their defense back in time for the playoffs, as safety CJ Gardner-Johnson and defensive tackle Alim McNeill were activated from injured reserve. Both players will be in uniform for Week 18 and will be available for the playoffs (barring injury in the regular season finale against the Minnesota Vikings).
Gardner-Johnson went down in the second week with a torn pectoral muscle and was unable to return for several months. His season seemed lost due to the injury, but he turned back the clock for the playoffs. The Lions plan to alternate Gardner-Johnson at safety with rookie Brian Branch and Ifetu Melifonwu in Week 18 — and possibly for the playoffs.
“I’m cool with it, but I mean, how can I say this? I don’t want to sound like I’m selfish or (expletive), but I’m not coming back early to be in a rotation, ” Gardner-Johnson said, according to MLive.com. “But I’m doing what I have to do as a team player to make my body work on its own. But I’ve been ready for almost months.”
Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn didn’t seem too concerned about Gardner-Johnson returning.
“We know this player wants to go play,” Glenn said this week, via a team transcript. “I mean, even when he was down and hurt, he wanted to go play. That’s how he’s wired. But he also understands the process.
“So obviously you have to talk to him and keep him at arm’s length, but he gets it, he gets it. And when he gets the chance to go play, he’ll do a good job for us.”
McNeill missed four weeks with a sprained knee. He is second on the team in sacks (5.0) and should return to his starting role.
