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Sources: Gardner-Johnson could be ready for W1

  • DJ Bien-AimeAug 8, 2025, 06:35 PM ET

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      DJ Bien-Aime covers the Houston Texans for ESPN. He joined ESPN in July of 2022 after covering the New York Jets for the New York Daily News. He’s a former athlete who finished his college career at Louisville. You can catch DJ on ESPN Radio on his show “Talkin’ Texans.”

HOUSTON — The knee injury suffered by Houston Texans safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson isn’t as serious as it appeared, and he could be ready to play in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday.

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Gardner-Johnson injured his knee during a scrimmage Thursday at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia when he attempted to tackle wideout John Metchie III. After making contact, Gardner-Johnson fell to the ground, couldn’t move his lower right leg and writhed in pain while slapping the ground. Players and coaches surrounded Gardner-Johnson as it appeared he might have suffered a long-term injury; he couldn’t put pressure on his leg and needed assistance onto the medical cart.

But the tests revealed Thursday night that Gardner-Johnson’s ACL is intact, sources previously told Schefter.

The Texans traded left guard Kenyon Green to the Philadelphia Eagles in March for Gardner-Johnson after 2024 starting safety Eric Murray joined the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency on a three-year, $22.5 million deal.

If Gardner-Johnson misses time, the Texans would lean on safety M.J. Stewart or safety Russ Yeast. Pitre also has experience at safety, a position he played from 2022 to 2023. So, the Texans could place Pitre at safety and start third-round rookie cornerback Jaylin Smith at nickel.