The Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson has suffered a lacerated kidney, a league source confirmed. The player is expected to be sidelined indefinitely as a result. According to reports, the player has not yet been placed on injured reserve as the team is yet to determine the timetable for his return.
Gardner-Johnson was injured late in the first quarter of the Eagles’ 40-33 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night. He began to experience pain after colliding with Packers’ receiver Christian Watson and was unable to continue with the game, instead being carted off the field.
The 24-year-old player was replaced by undrafted rookie Reed Blankenship, who proved to be an effective replacement after intercepting Aaron Rodgers in the red zone early in the second quarter of Sunday’s game.
While Blankenship is highly regarded by the Eagles after exhibiting impressive form during the summer, Gardner-Johnson’s absence will no doubt be filled, especially since he is the league leader in interceptions with six. He has also proven to be a crucial member of the Eagles’ defense, which remains number one in the league in takeaways with 23.
