HOUSTON -- Coach DeMeco Ryans said Monday that he expects safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to be "ready for Week 1," as the Houston Texans prepare to kick off the 2025 season against the Los Angeles Rams.
Gardner-Johnson has been sidelined since Aug. 7 with a knee injury that he suffered during a Texans scrimmage at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia. The injury appeared to be long-term after he attempted to tackle former Texans wideout John Metchie III before falling to the ground. He couldn't move his lower right leg and then needed assistance to get on a medical cart.
But Gardner-Johnson didn't suffer any structural damage to the ACL and was only sidelined for almost a month. Now he's expected to practice this week and be a starter in the Texans secondary alongside safety Calen Bullock.
Houston acquired Gardner-Johnson in March for Texans 2022 first-round pick left guard Kenyon Green. The safety is expected to elevate a ball-hawking secondary that had second-most interceptions last season (19), led by All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., cornerback Kamari Lassiter and nickel Jalen Pitre.
