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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was carted off the practice field on Saturday, Aug. 1, with a lower-body injury.
Unable to put any weight on his right leg, initial fears were that it could be a torn Achilles. On Monday, medical tests confirmed it was just a calf strain, though head coach Joe Brady didn't offer a timetable for Gardner-Johnson's return to practice.
Just a few days later, the Bills have avoided any major panic. Both Gardner-Johnson and defensive tackle Deone Walker — who missed time after injuring his left elbow — returned to practice on Thursday.
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Gardner-Johnson was a fourth-round pick (105th overall) in the 2019 draft out of Florida, selected by the New Orleans Saints. After three years in New Orleans, he's bounced around the league, spending time with the Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, and Chicago Bears before landing in Buffalo.
His best season came in 2022 with the Eagles, when he racked up 67 combined tackles, five tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, eight pass breakups, and a league-leading six interceptions in just 12 games. He returned to Philadelphia in 2024 after a season with the Lions and helped the Eagles win Super Bowl LIX.
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Buffalo signed Gardner-Johnson to a one-year, $6 million deal in March, adding a veteran voice to their defensive backfield. He's expected to start alongside cornerback Christian Benford, 2025 first-round pick Maxwell Hairston, and safeties Cole Bishop and Geno Stone.
The Bills open their preseason slate on Saturday, Aug. 15, against the Carolina Panthers at the new Highmark Stadium in Buffalo. Getting their veteran safety back on the field now will be crucial as the team ramps up over the coming weeks of camp.
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