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Detroit Lions want to work kinks out with new safety rotation before playoffs
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- Detroit Lions want to work kinks out with new safety rotation before playoffs
The Detroit Lions are still deciding how best to configure their secondary with C.J. Gardner-Johnson due back this week, and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said Thursday it's imperative the unit works out any kinks with its new rotation before the playoffs begin.
"I agree with that, and, listen, all three of those guys are going to play, 'cause they're all good players," Glenn said. "One thing that we try to do as a defense is make sure we have our best players out on the field. Will they all three be out on the field at the same time? Possibly. Will somebody be down that's up? Possibly. But they're all going to play, and you'll see that."
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Gardner-Johnson is expected to play Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings for the first time since tearing his pectoral muscle in a Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks .
Lions defensive back Ifeatu Melifonwu is congratulated by teammate Kerby Joseph after an interception against the Vikings at the end of the fourth quarter of the Lions' 30-24 win on Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023, in Minneapolis, to clinch the NFC North Division.
He joins a safety rotation that has gotten strong play in recent weeks from Kerby Joseph and Ifeatu Melifonwu .
Joseph had two interceptions in the Lions' Week 16 win over the Vikings and leads the Lions with four interceptions this season, while Melifonwu has two interceptions, three sacks and a forced fumble in his four starts.
The Lions (11-5) will open the playoffs at home next week, likely against the Los Angeles Rams or Green Bay Packers .
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"I said this the last time we talked about (Melifonwu), coming from corner to being safety, man, that's a transition and there's a number of things that he had to learn," Glenn said. "And I think he's starting to really understand that position in totality, so not only is he understanding from a back-end perspective, but he also understands where he fits in the paint also."
As a converted cornerback , Melifonwu has above-average ball skills for a safety, and at his size (6 feet 3, 210 pounds) he's proven to be one of the Lions' best blitzers.
That could give the Lions options with their personnel groupings on defense. Joseph, Melifonwu and Gardner-Johnson could play in a rotation at safety, and they all could see the field together in a big dime package with Melifonwu playing in a hybrid rusher role.
Detroit Lions cornerback Cam Sutton (1) and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (2) celebrate a play against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023.
Glenn indicated rookie Brian Branch will continue to man the slot cornerback position once Gardner-Johnson returns. The Lions initially signed Gardner-Johnson to be their slot cornerback, the position he played under Glenn with the New Orleans Saints , but moved him to safety after Branch's emergence this summer.
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Gardner-Johnson had 13 tackles and two pass breakups in the Lions' first two games of the season and has the most postseason experience of anyone in the Lions' secondary.
He remains on injured reserve, but is in his third week of practice and barring any setbacks, will be reinstated to the 53-man roster before Sunday.
"He has no choice (but to be patient)," Glenn said. "Listen, we know that player wants to go out there and play. Even when he was down and he was hurt, he wanted to go play, that's just how he's wired. But he understands the process also, so obviously you have to talk to him and keep him at bay, but he gets it. He gets it. And when he gets his chance to go out there and play, he's going to do a good job for us."
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett .
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions want to play with new safety rotation before playoffs
