By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
CBS DETROIT – Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson traveled with his team Monday, making the seven-hour flight to London nearly a week in advance of Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons in Wembley Stadium.
An ankle injury sidelined Johnson entirely against the New Orleans Saints and the Minnesota Vikings, and his health limited him to just three catches on three targets in games against the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets.
Johnson spoke with NFL Media on Tuesday and provided a bit of detail about his ongoing recovery.
“I’ll tell you this much, I’m getting better and better on a daily basis,” Johnson said. “So we’re just going to keep on. I’m going on that track; I’m working with the training staff a ton. We’re getting a lot of good work in and going in the right direction.
“I’m back running so that’s the best thing,” Johnson added. “That’s a great thing for me right now. I wasn’t doing that last week.”
That Johnson traveled with the team to London should not necessarily be taken as a sign he will play Sunday; since the vast majority of the organization, including the training staff, is now in London, it only makes sense that Johnson would go, too, to continue his rehabilitation.
With a 5-2 record this season that includes a 2-0 mark in games without Johnson, the Lions have an opportunity to give their superstar five straight weeks of rest since Detroit has a bye after its game in London.
While it might disappoint fans if the Lions choose to leave Johnson dormant for more than a month, it could be in the team’s long-term best interests, and it is a possibility head coach Jim Caldwell has not ruled out.
