The Eagles suffered a cruel blow in their MNF win over the Green Bay Packers, as safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson was carted off the field. It’s now been revealed that the DB sustained a lacerated kidney and will be out for some time.
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson injured
Losing Chauncey Gardner-Johnson is a tough pill to swallow. He led the NFL in interceptions prior to the injury and had single-handedly changed the confidence in the safety position. After being acquired late into the offseason in a trade with the Saints, CJGJ has fit in perfectly and been a true difference-maker in the secondary.
But in the first quarter of Monday’s win, Chauncey-Gardner-Johnson went to tackle Christian Watson and was left on the ground afterward. Trainers and Nick Sirianni rushed over and he was later carted off.
The good news is that rookie Safety, Reed Blankenship, got his first real taste of NFL action in Gardner-Johnson’s place and made a stunning interception shortly after taking to the field. The UDFA jumped on the ball like he was shot out of a cannon. Unfortunately, there were some key errors later on, but that’s to be expected.
If the Eagles are without Chauncey Gardner-Johnson for an extended amount of time, it could really hurt their Super Bowl dreams. Andrew Luck once suffered a similar injury and was given a 2-6 week timeframe to return. If we apply that to CJGJ, that would see him right before the playoffs. The Eagles could likely survive until the postseason without their ball-hawking safety, but getting him back in time for those all-important games would be monumental.
In the meantime, we wish Chauncey a speedy recovery. As far as impact players go, you’d struggle to find anyone who’s come in and made his presence felt in the way he has. Talks of an extension have already started among fans, and hopefully that sentiment is echoed by the front office.
Photo by Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire
