Brian Branch is adamant that veteran wide receiver
C.J. Gardner-Johnson is scheduled to become a free agency, but rookie Brian Branch of the Detroit Lions is opposed to the seasoned defensive back leaving.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson, a seasoned defensive back, will present the Detroit Lions with an intriguing decision. The dynamic defense has established himself as a valuable asset in the NFL, leading the league in interceptions in 2022. However, an injury wrecked his 2023 season with the Lions, making it a disappointment. He missed 14 games due to a ruptured pectoral muscle, and despite his best efforts to get back on the field in time for their playoff push and playoffs games, he was relegated to a rotational position.
Brian Branch, a rookie cornerback for the Lions, still wants Gardner-Johnson back. Branch took to Twitter on Monday in response to a question posed by a Lions fan requesting input on whether Gardner-Johnson, who inked a $6.5 million, one-year deal with the team last year, should be brought back.
Branch did not chop
In our ranking of Lions free agents, Gardner-Johnson came in third, but as Erik Schlitt noted, there’s a question about where he would fit into the team should Detroit decide to bring him back:
Gardner-Johnson is a versatile player who can play multiple positions and has Pro Bowl potential, but the Lions don’t have a clear road to a starting position at any of those spots. The Lions may choose to retain their local talent in highly contributing roles given the ascent of Brian Branch in the slot and the development of Ifeatu Melifonwu and Kerby Joseph at safety.
Would paying Gardner-Johnson be worthwhile given the possibility that he won’t land a permanent position?
It’s difficult to predict how much money Gardner-Johnson will ask for in a free agency. He signed a one-year contract in 2023, wagering on himself, but regrettably, ailments kept him from living up to his potential. Would he accept another modest contract in Detroit? If not, it could be difficult to imagine him going back to what might be another rotational position in this defense—something he was obviously unhappy about at the close of the season.
That being said, it might be advantageous to have a mentor in the locker room who can also perform well if Branch, a player whose skill set is quite similar to Gardner-Johnson’s, wants him back.
