Sources — Texans’ Gardner-Johnson might be prepared for Week 1

HOUSTON — The knee injury suffered by Houston Texans safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson isn’t as serious as it appeared and he could be ready to play in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday.

Gardner-Johnson injured his knee during a scrimmage Thursday at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia when he attempted to tackle wideout John Metchie III. After making contact, Gardner-Johnson fell to the ground, couldn’t move his lower right leg and writhed in pain while slapping the floor. Players and coaches surrounded Gardner-Johnson as it appeared he might have suffered a long-term injury; he couldn’t put any pressure on his leg and needed assistance hopping onto the medical cart.

But the tests revealed Thursday night that Gardner-Johnson’s ACL is intact, sources previously told Schefter.

The Texans traded left guard Kenyon Green to the Philadelphia Eagles in March for Gardner-Johnson after 2024 starting safety Eric Murray joined the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency on a three-year, $22.5 million deal.

If Gardner-Johnson does miss any time, the Texans would lean on safety M.J. Stewart or safety Russ Yeast to replace him. Pitre also has experience at safety, a position he played from 2022 to 2023. So the Texans could place Pitre at safety and start third-round rookie cornerback Jaylin Smith at nickel.