Chauncey Gardner-Johnson Is Takeaway Machine

The Lions continued to beef up their secondary with the addition of Chauncey Gardner-Johnson late Sunday night.

Detroit general manager Brad Holmes came to terms with the hybrid cornerback-safety on a one-year, $8.5 million deal, with $6.5 million guaranteed.

Holmes has made a concerted effort to revamp the Lions' defensive backs room this offseason. He also signed cornerbacks Cameron Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley during the first week of free agency.

Gardner-Johnson is just what the doctor ordered for Detroit defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who is a fan of versatile defensive backs like Gardner-Johnson.

Gardner-Johnson has the ability to line up at both nickel corner and safety, and Glenn saw it first-hand while the two were in New Orleans. Glenn was the Saints' defensive backs coach during Gardner-Johnson's first two seasons in the NFL (2019-2020).

As a member of the Lions' coaching staff, Glenn first showcased his fondness for the former Saints defensive back during the 2021 season. At that time, Glenn compared then-Detroit rookie cornerback Jerry Jacobs to Gardner-Johnson, saying that they both were highly competitive and had that "dog mentality" in them.

Detroit's defensive play-caller most recently brought up Gardner-Johnson's name at this year's NFL Scouting Combine, held earlier this month in Indianapolis, Ind.

"I like a safety that has an opportunity to play nickel, because those guys are bigger-body guys. But, now those guys are able to cover, because this is a space game," Glenn told reporters at the combine. "So, if you can get a bigger-body guy to play nickel and (be) a run fit, man, you really got something now. I mean, I’ve had that with Chauncey Gardner-Johnson in New Orleans."

And now Glenn has the opportunity to coach Gardner-Johnson again -- this time in Detroit.

After spending the first three seasons of his professional career in New Orleans, he suited up this past season for the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles. With the Eagles, he lined up primarily at free safety for the first time in his career, and emerged as a takeaway machine.

Despite playing in just 12 games due to a lacerated kidney, the 25-year-old ended up tying for the league lead in interceptions with six.

Additionally, in four professional seasons, he's totaled 11 interceptions. That total is more than the number of interceptions that Jacobs, Jeff Okudah, Will Harris, Tracy Walker III and Kerby Joseph -- the Lions' returning defensive backs -- have recorded as a whole.

Teams, overall wise, had a tough time passing against Gardner-Johnson a season ago, too. In fact, according to Pro Football Focus, opponents posted a passer rating of just 63.8 when targeting him in 2022.

All the above speaks to the fact that Gardner-Johnson, who should be highly motivated while working on a one-year, prove-it deal, will be a welcomed addition to Detroit's secondary in 2023. He'll be an asset -- and an impactful one -- no matter where he lines up for Glenn & Co.