Lions of Detroit: Safety One of the NFL’s biggest trash talkers is CJ Gardner-Johnson. In addition to his on-field abilities, the important offseason addition for the Detroit Lions defense is also well-known for his trash talk.
The fact that the Lions are playing in their first NFC Championship Game since 1992 and that Gardner-Johnson is a major factor in that, makes them less concerned about it.
This weekend, they will travel to San Francisco to play the 49ers in hopes of making their first-ever Super Bowl trip. Superstar running back Christian McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle will be CJ Gardner-Johnson’s main opponents, so he will have his hands full.
Nonetheless, he took a brief break from his hectic training regimen to trash talk San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel. Look it over.
CJ Gardner-Johnson used some really strong language in those remarks.
Indeed, Deebo Samuel possesses a great deal of running back-like abilities. When the ball is in his hands, he can sprint very strong and is one of the few receivers that can outrun defensive backs, including linebackers. He has excellent vision and is also fairly cunning. Because of this, San Francisco tries to deliver the ball to him in a number of ways, including occasionally lining him up in the backfield with McCaffrey and quarterback Brock Purdy.
However, Deebo Wide receiving talents are definitely present in Samuel, and they have significantly improved over the past several seasons. In Kyle Shanahan’s system, his route running, awareness, and understanding of when and when to sit down in zones have all significantly improved.
He finished the season with seven touchdowns and 892 receiving yards for a squad that has the most competition for touches.
Maybe none of this trash talk is really relevant. With a shoulder injury, Samuel departed the 49ers’ thrilling victory over the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Divisional Round. He didn’t return to practice until Thursday, and even then, he was not fully back.
