Benefits and Drawbacks of Lions Resigning Ceedy Duce
He played three seasons (2019–2021) with the New Orleans Saints and one season (2022) with the Philadelphia Eagles before signing with the Lions.
With just 12 regular season games under his belt, Gardner-Johnson recorded career highs in both total tackles (67) and interceptions (six). Gardner-Johnson had a stellar season with the Eagles. Additionally, he was essential to Philadelphia’s victory in Super Bowl 57.
But in the Motor City, the trash-talking 26-year-old defensive back was unable to duplicate that level of performance. He only participated in one more regular season game (Week 18) after tearing his pectoral muscle in Week 2 against the Seahawks, so he never really got his 2023 season off to a start.
His ’23 campaign was later remembered more for his on-field antics than for his verbal altercations with other players and his papers to change his name to “Ceedy Duce.”
To make matters worse, he performed poorly against the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, which put an end to his season. In the heartbreaking defeat, he battled valiantly against the run and the pass, but was unable to fight for a soul to preserve his life. He missed three tackles in the end, which was a game-high.
Additionally, he lost his personal conflict with San Francisco versatile wide receiver Deebo Samuel, with whom he had been at odds verbally since the beginning of the season. After Malcolm Rodriguez’s interception in the second quarter, Gardner-Johnson was called for an illegal blindside block on Samuel, which resulted in a 15-yard penalty.
Gardner-Johnson’s unimpressive Pro Football Focus overall grade of 33.9 for his performance in the NFC championship game was the lowest of any Lions defender against the 49ers. Should that end up being Ceedy Duce’s final game wearing a Honolulu Blue uniform, he will surely be remembered for his horrible performance against Samuel and Co.
When Gardner-Johnson performs at his peak, he does possess a variety of abilities. He has demonstrated proficiency in coverage and rush defense throughout his career. It’s also important to keep in mind that he can line up at nickel corner or safety. As he demonstrated with the Lions this past season, he also exudes a great deal of bravado in the locker room.
Brad Holmes, the general manager of Detroit, now has an intriguing choice to make with the adaptable defensive back. In 2023, Gardner-Johnson earned $6.5 million during his one-year contract with the Lions. Re-signing Duce to a comparable short-term deal (for one or two years at little more than $7 million/season) would be my first choice if I were Holmes.
That being said, I would be out of the Gardner-Johnson lottery if he wanted a long-term deal.