PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was carted to the locker room after suffering a lower-body injury during training camp practice Saturday.
A source told ESPN's Adam Schefter that tests revealed Gardner-Johnson suffered a lower calf strain.
Gardner-Johnson went down during an 11-on-11 period. He was tended to by athletic trainers who looked at his lower right leg/foot area. After testing out the leg, Gardner-Johnson was supported off the field by athletic trainers while not putting much weight on his right leg. Teammates, including left tackle Dion Dawkins, went over to check on the safety and wish him well.
"I walked up to him, and I told him, 'You all right? Take care of yourself. Can you walk?'" Dawkins said after practice. "And he got up, and he did his thing. He could put weight on his legs, so he can walk. So we all know that injury is 100% in this league, but he's all right. And I got the message from coaches that he's all right and they're going to do their protocol. He'll get ... whatever he has to get, and he'll be right back in the loop.
"... But C.J. is OK, but it's a scary thing. ... But C.J. is a dog, as we all know. So if anybody's going to push through something the right way, it'd be C.J."
Gardner-Johnson spent about 10 minutes in the medical tent before limping on his own to a cart that took him to the locker rooms at St. John Fisher University. General manager and president of football operations Brandon Beane checked on Gardner-Johnson while he was in the tent. Gardner-Johnson put a towel on his head as the cart took off.
A free agent addition this offseason, Gardner-Johnson is a projected starting safety alongside third-year safety Cole Bishop. In limited time with the team, Gardner-Johnson has been a vocal leader for the unit.
Veteran safeties Geno Stone and Damar Hamlin filled in with the first-team defense in Gardner-Johnson's absence.
"I just said a quick prayer, and I think he'll be all right," Hamlin said. "If we know the type of guy and type of player C.J. is, he'll find a way. He'll be OK, hopefully. God willing."
