Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson exits practice with lower-body injury
· Yahoo Sports
The Buffalo Bills suffered an early training camp scare on Saturday when safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson exited practice with a lower-body injury. The veteran was later carted to the locker room for further evaluation after going down during team drills.
According to ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg, “Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson is being supported off the field. Lower body injury, right foot area that athletic trainers were looking at. Teammates came over to wish him well.”
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The injury occurred roughly one hour into practice at St. John Fisher University. Gardner-Johnson appeared to suffer a non-contact injury while defending a pass, grabbing the back of his right lower leg before trainers assisted him off the field.
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Getzenberg reported, “Gardner-Johnson currently remains in the team’s medical tent. Injury occurred during 11-on-11 drills. Was not putting much weight on his foot.” She also reported that GM Brandon Beane went into the medical tent to check on him.
Gardner-Johnson eventually hobbled from the medical tent before riding a cart to the locker room.
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Chicago, IL, USA; Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson (84) runs after the catch against former Chicago Bears safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (35) at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)The 28-year-old signed a one-year, $6 million contract in March after splitting last season between the Houston Texans and Chicago Bears. He finished 2025 with 66 tackles, three sacks, and two interceptions, providing Buffalo with an experienced playmaker.
His absence forced Geno Stone into first-team drills, offering an early glimpse of the Bills’ contingency plan. Buffalo rebuilt its safety room this offseason after moving on from several veterans, making Gardner-Johnson a central piece of the new defensive structure.
The timing is concerning because the Bills invested heavily in reshaping their defense under coordinator Jim Leonhard. Losing Gardner-Johnson for an extended period would test the team’s depth before the regular season even begins.
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Buffalo is expected to provide more information after medical testing. Until then, the focus remains on the severity of the injury. The Bills could only hope that the veteran avoids significant damage and can return quickly to anchor a secondary expected to play a major role in another playoff push.