Lions confirm: CJ Gardner Johnson healed could be back to practice next week

[HSVLion]

Muahahahahahahaha

[HSVLion]

This team badly needs his intensity and his attitude right now. This is amazing news.

[FreebirdPartDeux]

‘He’s got mutant genes’: The Lions have medically cleared Ceedy Duce for return

“I want to talk to the doctor he’s talking to,” Campbell quipped just three weeks ago. “No, listen, Ducey is – he’s an upbeat, positive, hard-working, like will-himself-to-(get-better), and that’s what we love about him. I don’t foresee (him playing), but yet man, I’m not going to (rule it out). Never say never. I’m not going to do that. He may have mutant genes. He’s like Wolverine, there’s no telling. But believe me, that would be unbelievable.”

Duce won’t play on Saturday against Denver, and next week’s game in Minnesota is unlikely too. But if he begins practicing next week – and that seems like at least a possibility, if not a likelihood – he could return in time for big season-ending games against the Cowboys and Vikings, plus whatever awaits beyond in the playoffs.

[NYLion59]

@TouchdownMyPants

Fans pin a lot of hope on players that have limited production… Everyone was crowning Houston and Kerby in the offseason, expecting huge years from them. Well, Kerby has been a gigantic disappointment this season, one of the worst starters on defense IMO. I hope Houston can come in and provide some pressure opposite Hutch, but don’t be surprised if he has little to no impact.

8 sacks in 7 games is hardly what I’d call “limited production”. People had reason to have expectations of Houston having at least some impact this season.

Maybe it was a fluke but we won’t know until we see him on the field. I don’t see him putting up that pace again but he’s the best PURE pass rusher this team has.

[stephenboyd57]

@Wrath-SRT

Dan and the staff purposely overestimate injuries in press conferences in my opinion

Maybe they do it not put public pressure on guys to come back before they should

Plus players often have setbacks coming back from injuries. He’s trying to protect his players IMO

[Davicus]

CJGJ posted “12/20 ” (or something similar) on social media quite awhile ago. I’m pretty sure he’s been aiming at his return date of 12/20 for a while - and he seems on track.

[Jman]

@Weaselpuppy

Only if he can take Jacobs place or at least shadow Jacobs guy

Jacob’s is scrappy…he needs to play bump man on their #1 WR with safety help over top

Leave Sutton on the island with their #2

Let Kerby roam

Obviously we will have to mix it up a bit.

But never leave Jacobs 1 on 1 on their #1 with no safety

Rotate Iffy, Kerby, Tracey CGJ whoever

Can’t let the game get blown up by that.

[Lionboy1970]

Need that CJ energy and attitude.

[CuriousHusker]

I actually think he can give us some juice simply by being back at practice. As much as anything this team needs some swag right about now.

[TouchdownMyPants]

@NYLion59

@TouchdownMyPants

Fans pin a lot of hope on players that have limited production… Everyone was crowning Houston and Kerby in the offseason, expecting huge years from them. Well, Kerby has been a gigantic disappointment this season, one of the worst starters on defense IMO. I hope Houston can come in and provide some pressure opposite Hutch, but don’t be surprised if he has little to no impact.

8 sacks in 7 games is hardly what I’d call “limited production”. People had reason to have expectations of Houston having at least some impact this season.

Maybe it was a fluke but we won’t know until we see him on the field. I don’t see him putting up that pace again but he’s the best PURE pass rusher this team has.

And there was talk of him possibly being cut after training camp. Yes, he had a lot of splash plays in a very limited, specialized role last season. Clearly the staff wanted to expand his role and he struggled with that. Flash in the pan players are much more common than those who show they can make consistent impact plays year in and year out. I hedge my bets on ANY player who out performs their draft status or flashes right away in a new system. Houston/Commish/Kerby all flashed last year and all have done next to nothing this year… I’ll hold the same trepidation with Branch next year. If he shows he’s that guy next season, then I’ll believe… Just like Ra did on offense last year.

There were fans on this forum freaking out about Dobbs and him leading the vikings to a division title… 3 weeks later he was benched… NFL = Not For Long

[Wrath-SRT]

Yeah if this coaching staff thought cutting James Houston for either of the Okwara brothers was a thing then maybe they should be fired

[NYLion59]

@TouchdownMyPants

And there was talk of him possibly being cut after training camp. Yes, he had a lot of splash plays in a very limited, specialized role last season. Clearly the staff wanted to expand his role and he struggled with that. Flash in the pan players are much more common than those who show they can make consistent impact plays year in and year out. I hedge my bets on ANY player who out performs their draft status or flashes right away in a new system. Houston/Commish/Kerby all flashed last year and all have done next to nothing this year… I’ll hold the same trepidation with Branch next year. If he shows he’s that guy next season, then I’ll believe… Just like Ra did on offense last year.

There were fans on this forum freaking out about Dobbs and him leading the vikings to a division title… 3 weeks later he was benched… NFL = Not For Long

You used the words “limited production”. I’m sure you can understand why a lot of folks had hope that a player who had 8 sacks in 7 games in his rookie season could be a difference maker this season. That is not pinning hopes on a player that had limited production, as you stated.

Also to be noted that the defensive line played better immediately when Houston got inserted into the lineup as well as Hutch blossoming with a real pass rusher on the other side.
We don’t know if he’s a flash in the pan because he hasn’t played much due to injury so we can’t just assume that he’s a low impact player just because he was drafted in the 6th round. Maybe he is but that’s not reality yet. The reality is that he was a high impact pass rusher last season and I want to see what THAT guy has to offer. How many 3rd and longs have the Lions gotten killed on in recent weeks? Way too many to count. They need somebody with any reasonable level of pass rushing skill to bookend Hutch.

[CuriousHusker]

Houston did nothing this year to invalidate his 2022 emergence. He simply got hurt.

Kerby has no doubt disappointed though I thought he was better on Sunday

[SoCal_LionFan]

Why is the lead in music LOUD but then I can’t hear him or the questions?

[LineBusy]

Because the operator mixing the audio has a Bachelor’s Degree and that’s about it.

[GreggyJ]

Amazing news. I’m doubtful we see Houston this year, but hopefully he surprises me.

[Luke]

@CuriousHusker

I actually think he can give us some juice simply by being back at practice. As much as anything this team needs some swag right about now.

Came here to say this exact thing.

[najacks]

and here I thought the lions weren’t getting me anything for Christmas.

[Motorcitymaniac]

@Usi05

It’s interesting that both times this came up with Dan he tried to walk it back and say that it was a tall task for CJGJ and Houston to return despite each of them saying they would.

Dan didn’t say anything close to that on Stoney & Jansen on Tuesday.

[Usi05]

I didn’t see that. The article I read last week was him saying slow your role essentially. I may have to go read it again to confirm