Ahead of their Week 18 finale against the Minnesota Vikings, the Detroit Lions have activated Alim McNeill and CJ Gardner-Johnson from injured reserve.
It is a big boost for Detroit’s defense. Gardner-Johnson has not played since tearing his pectoral muscle in Week 2. The team placed McNeill on injured reserve after their win over the New Orleans Saints.
McNeill’s return is a significant boost to the defensive line. The third-year player was enjoying a breakout season before going down with injury. Gardner-Johnson was one of the Lions’ prized free-agent acquisitions. His presence was supposed to have elevated Detroit’s secondary.
The former Philadelphia Eagle has plenty of experience and is a legitimate playmaker with ball-hawking skills. However, Ifeatu Melifonwu and Kerby Joseph have both played so well that defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has confirmed that Gardner-Johnson will be part of a rotation:
“Will all three (Gardner-Johnson, Kerby Joseph and Ifeatu Melifonwu) be on the field at the same time? Possibly. Will somebody be down? Possibly. But they’ll all play, and you’ll see that.”
Gardner-Johnson was not happy about this, and aired his frustrations on Friday:
“I’m going to be all the way through. Getting into a rotation, I’m cool with it, but I mean — how can I say this? I don’t want to sound like a selfish or (expletive)hole, but I didn’t get back early to be in a rotation. But I’m doing what I need to do as a team player to get my body going, per se, but I’ve been ready for almost months. I guess this is when it matters.”
Head coach Dan Campbell did allay fears of locker room dissent:
“Ducey wants to play; he wants to be a part of it, and it doesn’t mean that he has to like it, but he’s going to go out there, and when he’s on the field, he’s going to give what he’s got, and that’s the most important thing. I think as long as we’re all open and direct with each other and they know where we’re coming from, and we know where they’re coming from, you don’t have to like it, but you respect it.”
Other Detroit Lions Roster Moves
The Detroit Lions have also elevated Tyson Alualu and Jason Cabinda onto the active/inactive list. Meanwhile, they have re-signed tight end Anthony Firkser to the practice squad.