The Eagles started practice Wednesday without opening the practice window for safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, which seemed to indicate he wouldn’t be available to play on Sunday.
Gardner-Johnson went to Injured Reserve on December 3 after suffering a torn kidney during the Eagles’ win over the Packers on November 27.
After missing the required minimum of four games—Titans, Giants, Bears, and Cowboys—Gardner-Johnson is now eligible for activation. The Eagles face off against his former team, the Saints, in Link Sunday and will seal the No. 1 seed in the NFC Playoffs bracket and a bye in the first round with a win.
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But with practice starting at 1:45pm, the club has not announced a move to open Gardner-Johnson’s 21-day training window. Opening his training window would allow him to rejoin the team and give the Eagles 21 days to either activate him or keep him on injured reserve, which would end his season.
Jordan Davis and Avonte Maddox were able to play the week they started training. Dallas Goedert had to wait an extra week. But opening the training window at least shows that the player is getting close to the point where they can play.
With all of the former players out of IR, the Eagles opened their practice window before Wednesday practice the week they returned to action.
By not opening a CJGJ training window, it remains unclear when he will be able to return. The Eagles finish the regular season against the Saints and Giants and open the following season on the weekend of January 14-16 if they are a wild card team or January 21-22 if they receive the top seed in the NFC.
It’s still conceivable – but not at all likely – that they could open his training window later this week and still get him back in Saints.
Despite missing the last four games, Gardner Johnson shares the NFL’s interception lead with Seahawks rookie cornerback Tariq Wolin. His most inside six is an Eagles safety since Greg Jackson had six in 1994 and is the most since Terry Hogg had eight in 1988.
The Eagles acquired Gardner-Johnson from the Saints on August 30. He’s in the final year of his four-year, $3.3 million rookie contract.
With Avonte Maddox now out indefinitely with a finger injury, the Eagles lost two key defensive backs.
Undrafted rookie Reed Blankenship started at safety in place of Gardner-Johnson, and Josiah Scott was Maddox’s replacement.
If the Eagles get Gardner Johnson back, they can move him to Maddox’s place and keep Blankenship safe. If not, it seems they have no real choice but to continue playing Scott, who has suffered greatly from his time there.
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