Former Saint, Gardner-Johnson, a gametime decision

After popping up on the injury report for the final two days of practice, Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson looks to be a gametime decision Sunday.

Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Eagles plan to get a look at Gardner-Johnson before the game and will make a decision on his game status after that workout. Fowler reports that there is “optimism about his availability,” which matches Gardner-Johnson’s indication to Philadelphia media a few days ago.

#Eagles plan to work out safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (questionable, foot) pregame, but there’s optimism about his availability vs. #Saints, per sources.

Gardner-Johnson was a Saints DB from 2018-21 and could get his first crack against them.

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) September 22, 2024

The sixth-year safety is a former New Orleans Saints draft pick. He was selected in the fourth-round of the 2019 draft and manned the slot cornerback role for New Orleans until 2021 after some contention of contract negotiations.

He was traded to Philadelphia in 2021 and has returned to the Eagles after a year with the Detroit Lions in 2022. The Saints and each of his teams have met in the regular season, however, this is the first time that Gardner-Johnson may be able to get back on the field from an injury in order to face them.

He isn’t the only player on Philadelphia’s defense with “revenge game” potential. Former Saints linebacker Zack Baun signed with the Eagles this offseason. New Orleans utilized him in a majority off-ball coverage role for the majority of his stint in the Big Easy, only deploying him as a pass rush towards the end of his tenure. But that short-lived and very effective time spent rushing the passer was enough to convince Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio that he was worth the investment. 

Baun already has two sacks, both of which he secured in the opening game. That matches his career total with the Saints. He is also tied for the most solo tackle in the NFL with 18.