Lions Designate S C.J. Gardner-Johnson & FB Jason Cabinda To Return From IR

Gardner-Johnson, 26, is a former fourth-round pick of the Saints back in 2019 out of Florida. He was entering the final year of his four-year rookie contract and was set to make a base salary of $2.54 million when the Saints traded him to the Eagles during the preseason. 

Gardner-Johnson was testing the open market as an unrestricted free agent for the first time and signed a one-year, $8 million deal with the Lions. He was placed on injured reserve after just two games with Detroit.

In 2023, Gardner-Johnson has appeared in two games for the Lions and recorded 13 total tackles and two passes defended.